The Nest

with Sarah Gastler, Ben Dose, Nathan Ehrlich

Located in the North Woods of the Upper Midwest, The Nest serves as a communal hub for an extended family. Comprised as a pair of lofty wooden pavilions, The Nest replaces an aging and undersized dining hall that occupied the same site of an early 20^th century fishing camp. The new building is designed as an intimate, but equally generous gathering space to draw people together for shared experiences and to be immersed in a setting that refocuses attention to the surrounding natural environment.

The client’s vision was inspired by traditional camp buildings in their use of wood and stone, but with a contemporary approach to weaving together organic materials. The effect is to bring in maximum daylight, create airy spaces, and develop visual connections to site and nature.

Two primary spaces, a Sunroom Pavilion and a Dining Pavilion, shelter under sculptural roof canopies, and comprise the core elements of The Nest. A gallery between pavilions acts as the entry and is faced with glass on both ends. One end opens to a deck perched above the lakeshore, and the other end extends to a welcoming terrace.

The Sunroom Pavilion assumes the role of communal living room throughout the day. A place to relax, play games, birdwatch from the deck, or oversee activities out on the lawn. Large lift-slide doors transform the sunroom into an open-air screen porch, catching breezes and bringing in the sound of wind through the trees and loon calls from the lake. The Dining Pavilion looks outward to the lake through floor-to-ceiling windows. A large fireplace, faced with locally-sourced split-granite fieldstones, anchors the end of the room.  The generous hearth acts as the main stage for family events, group singing, and story-telling.

Central to the construction of The Nest is a commitment to sustainability and environmental harmony. Western Red Cedar logs were salvaged from the original building, re-sawn into 2-1/4” square battens, and repurposed as siding. As a nod to the history of the site, a century old storm felled white pine was remilled on site and is now the floating entry bench.

Sustainable strategies include: The siting of the building to optimize relationships to the landscape.  Operable high performance triple pane windows allow for daylighting and natural ventilation. High insulation levels reduce energy consumption.  The walls of glass are shaded by surrounding trees and by the roof overhangs, which were calibrated in length to reduce summer solar heat gain and allow for it in the winter.

The Nest is a sculpted collection of materials and ideas, connecting people to each other and to this place.

Construction by Ridgeback Builders
Photographs by Albert Vecerka, Esto