Baw Beese sets a quiet scene on the shoreline of Hillsdale, United States, where Disbrow Iannuzzi organizes a vacation retreat for several generations at once. The project divides the house into smaller cabin-like volumes so grandparents, parents, and guests can share the property or live independently, moving between them through glazed links. Each wing holds its own rhythm, yet the whole compound stays tied to the lake, the trees, and long weekends together.
Lakeside Family Retreat sits in Canada, a house by Barbora Vokac Taylor Architect that steps with the Canadian Shield and gathers a large, multi-generational clan. The project spreads across three levels with a loft and a roofline that shelters cedar volumes while opening wide to the lake. Built for family life and long weekends, it balances rugged terrain with crafted detailing and a measured sequence from road to water.
Lake Cle Elum anchors a crisp, modern house in Roslyn, WA, United States, where evergreens meet open water. Designed by sticklab, the residence occupies a small bench on a steep slope above the lake, paired with an 800-square-foot detached garage. The project steers toward clarity and durability, aligning large panes and low eaves with mountain weather and long views without losing the quiet feeling of a retreat.
Country House sits in Poland, conceived by IFAgroup as a house that hews to village scale and a calm lakeside rhythm. The project reads as a deliberate low profile, spreading across an 8000 m² plot with terraces turned to water and forest. It steers clear of monumentality and draws warmth from reclaimed timber and planted roof, creating a measured retreat shaped by the land.
Villa O rests in a natural setting on a spacious lakeside plot in Trakai, Lithuania, designed by YCL studio and completed in 2025. This 237-square-metre (2,550-square-foot) house is defined by a circular volume that integrates semi-enclosed, sunken courtyards, fostering a continuous connection with the outdoors while offering an unconventional, sculptural architectural approach. An open, dynamic living space at the home’s core unites multiple functional areas into a harmonious environment.
Nestled in a picturesque village in northern Poland, Country House harmoniously integrates with its serene lakeside setting while respecting the scale of the surrounding architecture. Designed by IFAgroup, this house features innovative green elements, with a flat roof that doubles as a green terrace, enhancing insulation and biodiversity. The project exemplifies a design that prioritizes context, sustainability, and a profound respect for its natural surroundings.
Montreal-based practice LOCUS architecture+design has perched this contemporary home on a rocky outcrop overlooking Lac Cupidon in Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, Quebec, Canada. Named Between Lake and Forest, the 3,600-square-foot house features a dark, upper volume resting upon an exposed concrete plinth, with large window openings and two fully glazed projections that extend toward the lake and surrounding trees. The residence was conceived as a tranquil retreat for its owners, away from their busy urban lives.
Sawyer Retreat is a vacation house in Michigan, United States, designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects in 2024. It integrates into the native sand dune landscape with charred wood siding and panoramic views of Lake Michigan. Built on a lakeside bluff, it features two skewed wooden boxes over a concrete base.
