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2023 Award Winners

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Specialty

Design Detail

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Mountain Modern

Platinum

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.

From the Judges
The steel framing in this home is cool. It’s an unconventional application in a house that still shows a lot of warmth in a setting that really allows you to have great views. It’s true to the category, and definitely shows that the structure and detail can be one. To get the spans that they did shows how this kind of element can allow you do so much more, especially with how well done the windows are.

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