Sawyer Retreat Design is Like a Treehouse Above the Dunes

Story at a glance:

Chicago-based firm Wheeler Kearns Architects designed this Lake Michigan holiday home to blend into its ravine like a treehouse.
Radiant floors, solar energy, LED lights, and best-in-class detailing ensure all-season comfort.
The home reflects its landscape in blue tile and shou sugi ban siding, while concrete floors and durable finishes ensure its longevity.

Just off the shores of Lake Michigan, a modern holiday home seems to float in the trees above lakeside sand dunes. A swing dangles invitingly over the expansive, boardwalk-style deck and wide windows offer a peek inside, where the lake’s blues, greens, and sandy shades are reflected in the home’s finishes. Designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects, Sawyer Retreat mirrors the natural landscape that nestles around it, offering a cozy home base for all manner of outdoor adventure.

“The clients wanted something that captures the essence of the site—two beautiful acres at the end of a narrow lane. They didn’t want the house to compete with its surroundings,” says Wheeler Kearns Project Architect Michael Kendall.

In the Trees

“It’s a heavily used swing because the site and the view are so amazing. You just want to take it all in anytime you’re there,” the architect says of the Wheeler Kearns–designed project. Photo by Tom Harris

The program was strict: five bedrooms, three baths, and a big living space with views toward the lake. The project’s location on a steep ravine was at once a constraint and inspiration as the design came about. There was little leeway as far as where the bulk of the house could be situated thanks to structural limitations and zoning restrictions.

The Wheeler Kearns team seized the idea of making the retreat feel truly a part of its wooded surroundings, like a treehouse consisting of two rectangular masses. “As the site sloped away we had an opportunity to build something fairly modest at the front that then could open up and sort of float out into the ravine,” Kendall says. From the unassuming front entrance reached via footbridge, the home expands generously to the back of the property for large living spaces and sweeping views.

Achieving the treehouse effect was no small feat. The architects knew they would use concrete to anchor to the site and manage the practical aspects of building, allowing them to build up into the trees. However, they soon found the existing sand of the dune below was too light and powdery to bear the load of the house. The architects replaced some of this beachy sand with a coarser grain, increased the width of the foundations to boost the bearing capacity, and used concrete piles to support the deck.

“Luckily that didn’t necessarily change the footprint or the end design. We had to respect the landscape. Dunes are ever moving and undulating. We were thinking of this house as a light element that sits gracefully on the site,” Kendall says. The airy design stands in contrast to many of its more ostentatious neighbors. It’s nothing like the house the clients have in the suburbs; it’s a true place of respite.

Blending In

“We didn’t want to turn our back to the neighbors, but at the same time this is an entry point, which works from an architectural idea of compression. Once you pass through the threshold you see the views; from the backside we maximized transparency, but it is very private because of the way the house is sited,” says Wheeler Kearns Project Architect Michael Kendall. Photo by Tom Harris

Approaching the retreat visitors first catch a glimpse of the entry bridge, a design solution that allowed the architects to start building from the highest point on the site. “It solves a practical issue, but then it further adds to that treehouse effect and the lightness of the building hovering above the ground plane,” Kendall says.

Beyond the treehouse-like plan, the architects utilized specific materials to enrich the optical illusion of the house hovering in the trees. Charred shou sugi ban siding allows the home to recede into its context like a natural part of the landscape. Inside, the material palette mirrors Lake Michigan with blues, greens, and warm sandy tones.

Such aesthetic references meet practicality and durability. Concrete floors on the main level are ready for dirty hiking gear and sandy feet. “All of the materials were geared around the idea that they are from nature, require minimal maintenance, and can stand the test of time. We’re hoping that this is a 100-years-plus home,” Kendall says. It’s the perfect home base to return to for hot chocolate after a paddle on the lake.

Climate Control

Large windows offer views of the forest and Lake Michigan. Photo by Tom Harris

The shores of Lake Michigan are, famously, very cold in winter, and so is the lakeside community of Sawyer, Michigan. It was especially important for Kendall and his team to ensure a tight building envelope for occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

The concrete floors on both levels of the house have radiant heat to provide optimal comfort as the cold winter winds blow off Lake Michigan. The homeowners wanted a fireplace to gather around, so Kendall and the team convinced them to get a high-performing, closed wood stove, which produces a lot of heat without losing much to airflow, rather than a low-performing fireplace.

“We went above and beyond as far as detailing, using the latest and greatest products,” Kendall says. Triple-paned Marvin windows, wood frames, and spray-foam insulation on the walls and ceiling all help the thermal performance and, by extension, reduce energy consumption on the property.

“In that area the electric grid is somewhat reliable but not great. We didn’t want to use a generator, so why not try solar with a battery backup system?” Kendall says. The team installed 16 LG Electronics solar panels on the roof, and two Enphase Encharge 10 batteries occupy the basement. Since moving in the homeowners have found a rhythm using the batteries to run the home at night and allowing them to recharge during the day.

Worth the Wait

LED lighting is used throughout the home, and all exterior lights comply with DarkSky requirements. Photo by Tom Harris

Before construction even started the homeowner proposed a rope swing off the back deck as a playful place to relax and take in the lakeshore and dunes. They had to wait more than two years to enjoy it, as labor shortages during and post-Covid slowed construction drastically.

But as the home’s design came together, zoning and massing questions were resolved, the treehouse idea took shape, and the architects extended the boardwalk-style deck, creating the perfect swinging spot. Now that the house is fully, finally complete, the swing has become a favorite place to appreciate the dunes—though with the home’s expansive windows and ample living space, it’s got plenty of competition.