Envisioned by New York-based architects Gluck+, House to the Beach was designed to encapsulate the atmosphere of West Coast living and transport it to a serene Midwestern lakeside location. Built for a large family of seven, the property is situated on a sandy stretch of private beach on the shores of Lake Michigan, bringing life to a picturesque plot that had been empty for over a decade.
Designed in direct response to the neighbouring Baha’i Temple, House to the Beach is minimal and refined, offsetting the temple’s ornamental facade. When entering the building from the street level – via the property's second floor – visitors are greeted by the structure’s main stairwell and the home’s family room and media lounge, both located adjacent to the children’s bedrooms. When descending the main stair, the internal programme slowly unfolds, as the visitor travels through the library before heading downwards, towards the home’s generous public areas that open out directly onto the beach.
Take an interactive tour of House to the Beach
The beach house’s minimal and subdued façade was designed to act as a subtle backdrop to the neighbouring grid of trees planted in the parking forecourt. Black stained cypress wood appears sporadically along the home’s base, creating the illusion that the upper levels float, and adding warmth and depth to the home’s exterior shell.
Materials were selected to enhance the spatial experience of each room; terrazzo stairs, for instance, provide texture. Vibrant splashes of colour make a calculated appearance throughout the property; the striking forest green curtain, situated midway down the main stair and hung on a circular track, provides a prime example. This gesture creates a moment of privacy for the nearby bedroom wing, while creating an intimate nook for relaxing and reading.
The three-storey home is open towards the beach, where stretches of lawn can also be seen, covering part of the property
The design also offsets the aesthetics for the neighbouring Baha’i Temple and its ornate facade
The internal program was composed as a response to the house’s context, taking into account the angle of the neighbouring main road and the 40-foot elevation from road to beach
When entering the property from the street level, visitors are greeted by the home’s main stairwell, which leads down to the private spaces
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide the bedrooms with stunning panoramic lake views
The living spaces are open-plan and flooded with light. A mezzanine houses the property’s library
The minimalist main staircase links all floors, right through to the lowest, partially submerged level
Materials were selected for their ability to enhance the interior’s spatial experience, explain the architects
Colour was implemented strategically in the design; for example, a curtain in forest green, situated midway down the main stair, also provides a moment of privacy for the nearby bedroom wing
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Gluck+ website
Photography: Paul Warchol
-
What is the role of fragrance in contemporary culture, asks a new exhibition at 10 Corso ComoMilan concept store 10 Corso Como has partnered with London creative agency System Preferences to launch Olfactory Projections 01
-
Jack White's Third Man Records opens a Paris pop-upJack White's immaculately-branded record store will set up shop in the 9th arrondissement this weekend
-
Designer Marta de la Rica’s elegant Madrid studio is full of perfectly-pitched contradictionsThe studio, or ‘the laboratory’ as de la Rica and her team call it, plays with colour, texture and scale in eminently rewarding ways
-
This Rocky Mountains house is a ski-lover's dream escapeBozeman, a Rocky Mountains house by Pearson Design Group and Frederick Tang Architecture, is a contemporary retreat that sits low in its natural, Montana setting
-
Take a deep dive into The Palm Springs School ahead of the region’s Modernism WeekNew book ‘The Palm Springs School: Desert Modernism 1934-1975’ is the ultimate guide to exploring the midcentury gems of California, during Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025 and beyond
-
A wavy roof tops this sophisticated take on a backyard cabin in CaliforniaThis Californian Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) by Spiegel Aihara Workshop (SAW), offers an aesthetic and functional answer to housing shortages and multigenerational family living
-
Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025: let the desert architecture party beginPalm Springs Modernism Week 2025 launches on 13 February, marking the popular annual desert event’s 20th anniversary, celebrated this year through more midcentury marvels than ever
-
On the shores of Discovery Bay, this wooden house is the ultimate waterside retreatDekleva Gregorič’s Discovery Bay House is a structured yet organic shelter that blends perfectly into the surrounding Pacific Northwest landscape
-
The 10 emerging American Midwest architects you need to knowWe profile 10 emerging American Midwest architects shaking up the world of architecture - in their territory, and beyond
-
A light-filled New York loft renovation magics up extra space in a deceptively sized homeThis New York loft renovation by local practice BOND is now a warm and welcoming apartment that feels more spacious than it actually is
-
Inside Bell Labs, the modernist vision behind Severance's minimalist settingWe explore the history of Bell Labs - now known as Bell Works - the modernist Eero Saarinen-designed facility in New Jersey, which inspired the dystopian minimalist setting of 'Severance'
