Shell Lake Cabin

The project is centered on sustainable, equitable design and prioritizes integration into the site, solar orientation, natural lighting, view of the adjacent lake, and indoor/outdoor connection. This cabin is anticipated to be the first Core Green Building Certified project in all of Wisconsin.

The goal was an eco-friendly structure that respected the site’s ecology and honored the client’s connection to the community. We utilized the Living Building Challenge as a multifaceted approach to holistic, sustainable, and equitable design.

The design is deeply connected to its environment by preserving the health of the site and blurring the indoor and outdoor divide. We preserved and highlighted the biodiversity of the site in collaboration with an ecology consultant and a landscape architect to marry the architecture and natural surroundings.

Local suppliers and makers were sourced for the project. The custom staircase was milled from site timbers and manufactured by a small, Minneapolis-based metalworking studio. The uniquely shaped, custom windows were all built locally in Ashland, WI, and are FSC-certified (as is all of the wood throughout the project). The glass-blown light fixtures in the kitchen are custom-crafted in Minneapolis. These are just a few examples that showcase the level of design and craftsmanship that went into this home.

Along with a deep desire for a cabin that was crafted to be environmentally sensitive, the artistry of the structure was also of high propriety. The client, an accomplished musician, desired a building with the sensibility of a finely crafted musical instrument.

One of the most innovative and distinctive design features of the cabin is its modern take on the traditional A-frame structure. The iconic triangular silhouette synonymous with American cabin culture is modern yet timeless, and served as the form for an elevated, innovative retreat. The expressiveness of the home’s form and the visibility of the structure itself is a direct reflection of the craftsmanship and detail that went into the design and construction. This language of expressive, exposed form is extended throughout the truss-like framework that forms the entire cabin and is in itself an innovative use of material.

Look back at the Shell Lake Cabin journey in our Project Spotlight series on Instagram & Facebook!

 

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Exterior renderings courtesy of Urban Ecosystems. 

Completed

2026

Team

Shelter Architecture, Hage Homes, Schaper Engineering, Urban Ecosystems, Primative Precision Metalcraft

Photographer

Farm Kid Studios