Last week, architects Emaad Damda and Joe Murray visited the site of our first project in the United States, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, to review progress as construction advances towards completion.

Set within a secluded lakeside landscape, the new homestead comprises three family villas, a communal gathering hall and a dedicated wellness facility. The ensemble has been conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the site’s architectural heritage, taking cues from an original 1920s Austrian-style chalet that is currently being carefully restored and extended as part of the wider scheme.

Significant progress has been made across the site. Locally quarried limestone masonry walls are going up, while most of the Douglas fir timber frames have been erected and the villas are fully weatherproof. Within the wellness building, the installation of a stainless-steel swimming pool and plunge pool is underway, beneath a roof structure braced with exposed glulam timber, celebrating the project’s commitment to natural materials and referencing traditional Austrian craftsmanship.

The development brings together a multidisciplinary team spanning architecture, interiors and landscape design. Throughout the process, our team has worked closely with JOMX Architecture as local architect, Joanna Crowley Design and Barbara Barry on the interiors, and Craig Bergmann Landscape Design. Together, the project seeks to create an extended family retreat that is deeply connected to its setting while balancing tradition, sustainability and contemporary living.