Shielded by wooded sand dunes, this house is located in a heavily wooded area less than 1/4 mile from Lake Michigan. It is a single family residence that includes living, dining, kitchen and den on the first level. The second level includes a guest room, bunk room, indoor gallery space, outdoor open porch the length of the house and the master bedroom.  The house is designed around 3 guiding ideas / elements-

- a central hearth / two story stone wall that anchors the house to the site, and connects the interior spaces to one another.
-extensive visual and physical access to the natural environment and natural light of the site.
-central volume entry and circulation space serves as a transition from the point of arrival to the natural beauty of the site.
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) were used for the exterior shell of the home.  The SIP has a very high R-Value, which keeps the house well-insulated  and the HVAC unit running less.  The panels are also assembled off-site in a factory setting and shipped locally.  This method cuts installation time almost in half.