Box Camp

A small lake in the north woods of Wisconsin was the summer tromping grounds for the owners in their youth. Now older, with their own children and grandchildren, they selected a nearby site with an existing dilapidated cabin on which to build a new retreat. They were interested in a low-slung design to fit with the contours of the site, while invoking a modern, yet camp-like arrangement to accommodate a large and growing family. They hired SALA to design the first phase of the retreat a few years ago. The design established a plan that unfolds along a single circulation spine, visibly open from one end to the other, connecting a string of wood-clad living and sleeping boxes. The heart of the camp is a central gathering box with tall ceilings, a commanding fireplace, and expansive windows facing the lake. Sleeping spaces are located to the north and south, reached either through a screened breezeway or glassy connector.