Charles R. Stinson Architects

After moving to the United States from Europe, the owners found themselves searching for a modern, urban penthouse to call home. A Cedar Lake residence designed by Charles R. Stinson Architects matched their design sensibility and offered a unique sense of loft living in a natural lakeside setting.
After settling comfortably into their home, the owners soon recognized a need for additional guest space and asked Stinson to compose a guesthouse and pool area to accommodate friends and family from Europe
staying for extended periods of time. In order to maintain the purity of the original house and to take full4 advantage of the site, Stinson and the homeowners arrived upon a plan for a separate building connected to the original house by an elegant glass link. The overall goal was to give a unique identity to the guesthouse while maintaining a continuity with the original home. The guesthouse with loft creates an L-shaped site plan that offers a sense of enclosure and privacy to the pool, which was a priority to the clients. An additional kitchen and living room serves both their extended stay guests and allows seamless entertainment options on the pool terrace. In addition to the living quarters, the guesthouse adds a yoga studio and an entertainment space for summer gatherings.

The simplicity of the composition and the elegance of the solution is testament to the meticulous coordination of the structure, mechanical systems and the client’s program. The composition creates an uninhibited flow of space, timeless proportions, uncompromised views toward nature and an ever-changing play of light throughout the guesthouse. Together these elements work to provide a sense of tranquility and harmony in the everyday life of the homeowners and their fortunate guests.