This Multigenerational Retreat in Wisconsin Spans Three Interconnected Pavilions

On the western shore of Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, undulating sand dunes and dense vegetation create the idyllic context that drew one multigenerational family together to build a communal second home. The three generations—scattered all over the country—wanted a centralized place to come together as a family where they could unwind and disconnect from their hectic urban lives.

To design the multipurpose, multigenerational retreat, the family engaged Milwaukee- and Boston-based architecture firm LA DALLMAN. "The family was quite interested in living in a shared space that is also very connected to the surrounding landscape," shares LA DALLMAN principal James T. Dallman. "[They have] had many years to get to know the nuanced qualities of this place, and their deep knowledge, built up over generations, was central to the design process."

To accommodate a variety of different family activities, the home was pulled apart into three distinct pavilions—designed to live, play, and rest. The "live" pavilion contains the home’s kitchen and an open living room; the "play" pavilion contains a large multi-purpose space, a study loft, and a mudroom; and the "rest" pavilion includes two traditional bedrooms, plus a bunk room for children and guests—with each of the three volumes connected by a central hall. "Though we were excited by the idea of articulating the three pavilion volumes as distinct entities, it was also important to us that they never feel entirely separate," says Dallman.