Mountain Modern
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Architect/Designer | 42 North—Architecture + Design
Builder | Epique Homes
Interior Designer | Refresh Design
Photographer | Brian Kelly Photography and Film
Situated on the site of an old stone quarry, Cliffside Mountain Modern sits on 40 acres of land and perches at the edge of a steep cliff. This unique project features a first for the architect: designing a residential home with steel-framed construction.
Extra time and care were taken when designing this home to extrapolate the 6-by-6-foot steel grid. Tight tolerances and exact steel setting was a must to ensure the large glass panes would fit. During construction, the steel erector was tasked with maintaining consistent threading and bolting patterns.
Large overhangs with exposed, protruding steel beams also figure into the functional beauty of the steel design. The bracket detail at the rear of the home, above the covered patio, is also fabricated steel.
Continuing the use of steel is an entry bridge that leads from the driveway to the front porch of the home. The floating steel bridge is not only a cool element but also is functional—it ensures that plenty of natural light pervades the home’s lower level.
Cliffside Mountain Modern embodies all the elements of rustic modern architecture, with its exposed steel beams inside and out.
