Description

This client decided to return for a summer camp to a familiar lake where he spent his childhood. Surprisingly, he found the church camp he remembered to be for sale. Responding to an inspiration he decided to purchase the property with the hopes of recreating a lodge-style home for his extended family to share during the summer months. During our first visit to the site we emerged from the structure onto the deck to surprise a bobcat sunning himself near the rail. We were all startled and decided right there to name the project Bobcat Lodge.

The existing building was a budget rebuild of a nicer old lodge that had burned, but the siting was good, so we took the old building down to the floor line, kept the foundation and started over. The program called for 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, large gathering spaces and a cozy alcove for the fireplace. The owner engaged a local builder who was familiar with natural local pine log construction, so we included a true-log stair, railings and several pieces of log furniture in our plans. The client embraced the aesthetic and added classic lodge fixtures and materials whenever possible. The completed project now serves as a base for the extended family with parents and children returning in yearly cycles to share the warmth and traditional aesthetic that this project provides.

This project was undertaken while David was Senior Design Associate at Polsky Architects in Larkspur.