This is a home for a farmer/entrepreneur that he constructed him-self. The house and barn/garage are nested near a crook in the forested edge, creating a "place" between woods and structures. The owner had previous experience as a cabinet builder, raising the prospect of a well-crafted project with a high development of construction detail. Rafter tails, exposed structural framing, raised battens, kickers to support extended roof overhangs, all became integral parts of the design.

The design references white-washed mid-western farm homes of the early twentieth century, with wrap-around wooden porches, gables, dormers, metal roofing, and board-and-batten siding. The construction system utilizes balloon framing to create four-foot-high knee walls on the second floor. This allows for economical usage of the second floor plate, while maintaining the desired modest cottage scale on the exterior. We sought to anchor this home to the prairie with a Gothic presence beyond its actual diminutive size.

Property is now named the Little Sugar River Farm.

AIA Wisconsin Design Award

2000