Passive Energy Vacation Cottage

After touring many properties in search of the perfect plot of land on which to build the vacation home they had long imagined, a Chicago-area couple with teenaged children acquired a wooded lot in Michigan adjacent to a natural conservation area and a stone’s throw from a local beach. They soon commissioned Morgante Wilson Architects (MWA) to design their new abode, a natural choice given the husband’s long-standing professional relationship with MWA through his own business.

In contrast to their primary home in the city, a heavy timber loft with a contemporary, industrial feel, the owners envisioned a more transitional vibe for their new vacation retreat.

Building an exceptionally energy efficient home was another priority for the couple. As such, the MWA team designed the home following Net Zero standards, with features such as triple-pane windows, 12-inch-thick walls with ample insulation, solar panels to power the home and exterior louvers that can be positioned to let in the desired amount of light – passively warming the interior during the winter or providing cooling shade during the summer. Although the homeowners opted not to pursue official Net Zero certification, the architects worked with consultants on many of these details, including the extra mechanical systems and considerations that ensure air filtration/fresh air exchange within an envelope designed to be as airtight as possible.

Another significant design consideration was selecting a building site, since wetlands occupy a large portion of the property. Walking the property in person, the designers found a dry spot near the adjacent wooded conservation area and “taped out” the footprint. The result is a long, narrow structure with large windows that capture the wooded surroundings, flooding the interior with natural daylight and in essence, bringing the outside in.

When it came time to select interior finishes, the homeowners envisioned a new milieu for their second home; however, they ultimately gravitated toward some of the industrial, loft-style elements they appreciate in their primary residence, such as polished concrete floors and beefy wooden structural columns detailed with steel connectors. Such details draw attention to the centrally located great room’s high, peaked ceilings reflecting the traditional roofline. The home also features a contemporary open kitchen, spacious en suite bedrooms, a screened-in porch with a fireplace, and a pair of kid-friendly bunkrooms – all designed and furnished by the MWA interiors team with a neutral steampunk-meets-industrial aesthetic accented and softened by textural fabrics and pillows.

The attention to detail can also be found outside, where a wooden loggia connects the dwelling and detached garage, which includes a second-floor ping pong “rainy day” room for the family to congregate. The structures flank a swimming pool, which cannot be seen from the main living areas – a conscious effort by the design team to preserve the natural vistas.

Using a fraction of the energy of similarly sized homes, this smart, stylish custom build checks every box on the owners’ wish list.