Lake Library

This house draws on many sources, from the American Shingle Style to Japanese pavilions, to Frank Lloyd Wright, and unites them into something new. A Gothic entry arcade extends forty feet out from the house in a welcoming ceremonial gesture for the modest vacation house.

The first floor functions as a living room in the summer with French doors that open to the view. At the end of the season, the furniture is moved aside to make room for the pick-up truck. Lanterns suspended from the points of the roof are standard mooring balls fitted with light bulbs inside.

Using common, humble materials, asphalt shingles and vinyl siding, it manages, with the help of ornamental swags and fluted square columns, to evoke a degree of elegance.

Modular construction and a performance envelope yielded a sustainable building and shortened construction time.