Glen Lake, in Michigan is surrounded by wooded rolling sand hills just east of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake shore. Its beauty and calm waters make it a popular lake for boating, swimming, and fishing. After this brief introduction, Glen Lake Tower is now ready to be described as one of the ultimate dream houses for nature lovers!
Positioned in a forest site, the only solution for maximizing lake views was to lift the entire program. The formal archetype fitting this conceptual solution was the tower volume.
The program is distributed in four different levels: an improvised road gives access to the house where a parking space and an entry staircase are waiting for dwellers on the ground floor. The first and second floors are reserved for private areas (each floor has its own bedroom with bathroom) while the last floor contains the entire social areas. An open space is generously conceived for dining, living and kitchen areas taking advantage from the large veranda as an outdoor extension for interior activities.
On the other hand, the compact tower reveals punctuated views through and above the tree line. Only the top level benefits from huge sliding glass doors that permanently aim to the magnificent view over the trees towards the lake.
The chosen material for both indoor and outdoor surfaces respects the atmosphere of the context: wood is brilliantly used as an inclusive element to peacefully integrate architecture with nature… Oh, and by the way, did you know that Glen Lake was recognized as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world by National Geographic Magazine?
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