Located in Hillsdale, MI, Baw Beese House is a multi-generational lakeside vacation retreat. The project is a contextual response to social, familial, community, economic, and health conditions, allowing multiple generations of family members to safely occupy a place together or separately for years to come.

The lake house is divided into four smaller volumes to minimize its visual impact and overall scale. Aside from the garage, three volumes function as individual cabins, which can be inhabited independently or in any combination, depending on which family members are present at the time. The space dedicated to the family’s matriarch includes a combined kitchenette and sitting area, bedroom, bathroom, and storage with views overlooking Baw Beese Lake. This allows her to visit and inhabit the home without opening any of the other portions of the home. Similarly, there is a section dedicated to her daughter’s young family of four which includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, dedicated HVAC, and storage.

The third, and largest, volume contains the primary kitchen and living areas, along with a guest suite and lofted work area. While this live-work volume can operate independently, it is often enjoyed as a central, gathering space when all family members and their friends are present on the same occasion. Glass corridors link the volumes, forming light-filled transitional spaces. With a focus on aging-in-place, the structure maintains a single floor level among all volumes, and the home appears to hover above the property as the site’s natural contours descend towards Baw Beese Lake.