Set in the rural landscape of southwestern Wisconsin, this weekend retreat offers a quiet counterpoint to city life. The property lies at a unique junction—where farmland meets the wooded bluffs of the Mississippi River corridor. The design embraces this condition of contrast, positioning the home along the seam between cultivated land and the natural edge of the river valley.

Arrival is along a simple gravel farm road, where the first view reveals a group of buildings recalling the familiar form and scale of a Midwestern farmstead. The site opens to the north with broad views of the fields, while the south frames the distant Mississippi River below. The design responds to this dual orientation, finding balance between openness and enclosure.

Before construction, the bluff edge had been partially cleared, leaving a hundred-foot break in the trees. Rather than conceal this disturbance, the design reclaims it—placing an elongated bar within the gap to restore the canopy’s continuity. This long, linear form becomes the project’s defining gesture: a semi-solid wall bridging between the forest floor and the treetops, shaping the dwelling’s relationship to light, landscape, and view.

The program is organized into a series of smaller, clearly defined structures. A Machine Shed and Tool Shed face the road, providing privacy and protection, while the Living Shed extends southward to open to the sun and the river. A single-sloped roof modulates sunlight through the seasons, and operable windows enable natural ventilation throughout. To the north, a thickened steel wall provides a durable, protective layer—an architectural “winter coat” that grounds the home within its rugged setting.

Work completed while at SALA Architects.