Great Lakes House | And And And Studio | 2025 | 澳大利亚
A nuanced brief for a deconstructed house overlooking Lake Michigan with unpretentious yet elevated interiors has been realised by And And And Studio and Salmela Architect.Annie Ritz, co-founder of Los Angeles-based design firm And And And Studio alongside her husband Daniel Rabin, describes their work as “a process of mining people for their desires”. Understanding what their clients are drawn to and how they want to live is their primary concern, and the pre-eminent questions that arise at the top of a project are asked in pursuit of unearthing these nuggets.
“Every time someone embarks on a custom project, I believe it’s inherently a transformation or an expression of something that needs to be externalised,” says Ritz. “The questions I ask myself as a designer are, ‘What are they trying to achieve?’ or ‘What can I give to them that they haven’t been able to do for themselves, and how do I bring that forth for them?’”For this project, the clients – a lawyer and an artist who reside in Chicago – were seeking a holiday home with a refined yet casual atmosphere. After working with David Salmela on the architecture, the pair engaged And And And Studio to imbue the interiors with warmth and sophistication. Ritz describes Samela’s work as “thoughtful and considered”, adding that And And And Studio’s contribution was grounded in “amplifying the architecture and framing those beautiful views he’d set up”.
Inspired by the concept of a deconstructed lake house, Great Lakes House expresses a refined, Scandinavian minimalism – a reference to one of the client’s Finnish heritage and affinity for Nordic design. The property is comprised of five timber-clad pavilions thoughtfully positioned across the site. Each of these pavilions serves a different purpose, catering to the clients’ nuanced brief for a residence with separate spaces for living, working, socialising and sleeping.“They have different sleep schedules and daytime routines, so they wanted separate huts where, for example, he can work out while she sleeps in, or she can work in her studio and he can be in his office, all without impacting each other’s wellness and lifestyle needs,” says Ritz.
Most activity occurs in the primary pavilion, which contains the clients’ bedroom, ensuite and a sauna on the ground floor, with the kitchen, living and dining area on the floor above. There’s also a cantilevered, open-air terrace for the warmer months that protrudes into the heart of the site. The remaining pavilions are straightforward and intentional in their program, with a combined gym and office, a studio space, guest quarters and a garage.This clustered arrangement not only responds directly to the clients’ lifestyle, but it successfully places nature at the heart of the experience. Trees stand throughout the site, and the act of moving from one pavilion to another over the course of the day constantly reinforces the owners’ interaction and rapport with nature, which was integral to the brief.
And And And Studio has also embraced this notion within. Every room benefits from views to the surrounding landscape, be it of the conifer trees in the foreground or the undulating terrain that unfurls from the home’s edges. In the primary living room, a large picture window spans an entire wall, capturing a majestic view towards Lake Michigan. It’s the inevitable and deserving focal point, and framing it correctly from within was Ritz’s defining challenge.“We felt strongly that we needed to frame the window with a bookshelf, and I think it really succeeds,” she says. “It gives the eye places to land and pulls it through to the lake.” Indeed, instead of detracting from the outlook, the timber shelving surrounding the single pane of glass creates additional visual interest, amplifying as opposed to denigrating the vastness of the view and creating a wonderful sense of light and depth within.
Similar tactics have been employed elsewhere; for example, the centre of each pavilion’s roof is punched out, creating a void with clerestory windows that offer views to the sky and increase access to natural light. Additionally, in the guest bedroom, an upholstered window seat allows for a moment of repose, while wide timber windowsills shape views, creating intentional sightlines across the property and celebrating the interplay of built form and landscape.The clients’ preference for Scandinavian design also informed the materiality. The extensive use of oak on the floors, walls and ceilings is a clear nod that feels entirely fitting in this wooded area. Other materials like concrete, natural stone, ceramic tiles, rugs and textiles bring softness and tactility. Ritz likens the experience of being inside, particularly in the wintertime, to “wrapping yourself in a blanket”.
A colour palette of blues and greens supports this idea, simultaneously referencing the tones of the lake and facilitating a soothing atmosphere. This is enlivened by the vibrant curation of contemporary art and design, including a handwoven tapestry, colourful wall art and various handmade ceramic objects, all of which help to animate the architectural framework in thoughtful and characterful ways.Though conceived as a cluster of separate buildings, Great Lakes House is anything but disjointed. The sincere response to site and brief, and the rigour with which the project has been executed – both inside and out – culminate in a home that is well loved by its inhabitants.
For Ritz, the project aligns deeply with her philosophy as a designer. “I feel very joyful about this project, and I think it’s because it’s a real expression of my design ethos, which is about finding what’s authentic to my clients and how they want to live and feel in the world, then making that real for them.”
Architecture by Salmela Architect. Interior design by And And And Studio. Build by Shugart Builders.
- 项目文案：Millie Thwaites
- 项目摄影：Yoshihiro Makino
- 摄影布景：Lisa Rowe
- 转载自：The Local Project
- 图片@The Local Project
- 语言：英语
- 编辑：序赞网
- 阅读原文
|
|
