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Wood_Lands

Wood_Lands

Bower Residence

Mattawan, Michigan

This is a design for a growing family on a woodland plot of land near that of their parents. The acreage to the south is owned by their parents and both families can enjoy the support of each other. The site is a sloping wooded site, near a low wetlands. A typical Midwest forest inhabits the site with mostly mid-growth maple and birch trees. Zoning allowed the siting of the project in a wedge area between setbacks from the property line and the wetland. Care was taken to not remove old growth trees and minimize removal. Any trees removed were to be milled and reused in the interior of the project.

The program called for three bedrooms and two home offices for the clients. Activity areas for the children, away from the living areas were requested. An isolated mud room at the east end of the house, near the children activity room, allowed entry and clean up away from the main living spaces. Large windows bring the forest into the interior and light monitors bring light to the north office bedroom areas. A living sodded roof is used and the home sits above the graded slope on low impact piers.

STU•F