Located on a 60-acre working farm above East Grand Traverse Bay, Orchard Bluff was designed to feel closely connected to the land around it. The home is arranged as three distinct structures joined by glass bridges, allowing views of the orchards, fields, and water to remain present throughout the house. A palette of weathered corten steel, glass, and natural materials gives the project a quiet, grounded character. Rather than separating the home from the farm, the design frames daily life around the changing light, seasons, and landscape, reinforcing a strong connection to the rhythms of the site and the agricultural landscape beyond.
Plan Concept
“The plan was organized around a simple idea: create a central place for gathering, then allow the more private parts of the home to extend outward from it. The result is a house that brings people together while still providing spaces for retreat and reflection within the landscape.”
Chris Johnston, Principal
Shaped by the Bluff
With three distinct volumes that are connected by elevated bridges, the natural sloped topography of the bluff is able to flow beneath and through the house. This separation of forms reduces impact on the site and maintains a continuous connection to the land.
From the central volume “The Dock” extends outward over the slope and into the trees. This creates the feeling of hovering in the landscape rather than sitting upon it.
