Twin Gable Roofs Form the Ultimate Surf Shack—On a Lake in Montana

At Whitefish Lake, Workaday Design conquers a tricky lot to capitalize on views of the water across the street.

Twin Gable Roofs Form the Ultimate Surf Shack—On a Lake in Montana

At Whitefish Lake, Workaday Design conquers a tricky lot to capitalize on views of the water across the street.

This neighborhood in Whitefish, Montana used to be the grounds of a summer camp.

In 2018, Lauren and Brittan Ellingson, the owners of Notice Snowboards, a custom snowboard and wakesurf company in Whitefish, Montana, approached Workaday Design and builder Mindful Designs to concoct a new lake home for their family. The brief was, perhaps unsurprisingly, focused on getting the family outdoors as much as possible.

This neighborhood in Whitefish, Montana used to be the grounds of a summer camp.

This neighborhood in Whitefish, Montana used to be the grounds of a summer camp. "This was the last lot that had one of those original buildings, and it was the check-in office, which had been converted to a triplex," says George. The clients own a custom snowboard and wakesurf company, and they wanted to "keep that camper, tree house–type feel with the massing" of the new house.

Photo: Gibeon Photography

The site had a fitting provenance for this purpose—the land once belonged to a summer camp, and the Ellingsons’ lot hosted the administrative office. "It was an old building, and it started to have some mold issues," says Zach George, designer and partner at Workaday Design. "So, they demoed the building and we did this building in its place—but we tried to keep that inspiration and the gabled camp feel of the original structures."

"An angled entry clad in white brick addresses the angle of the street and provides a place to pause before entering into the home," says the firm.

Photo: Gibeon Photography

Sheltered, second-floor balconies overlook the water, connecting the home’s occupants to the lake beyond.

Sheltered, second-floor balconies overlook the water, connecting the home’s occupants to the lake beyond.

Greater Than Image

See the full story on Dwell.com: Twin Gable Roofs Form the Ultimate Surf Shack—On a Lake in Montana
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