Aimee P.C. Buccellato, LEED AP, partner at Buccellato Design LLC in South Bend, Indiana, and Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, was drawn to the beautiful and complex process of design and architecture early on in life. From Lego building blocks, drawings, and summer visits to her mother’s childhood home—a Pompeiian villa replica—to witnessing a residential redesign, Buccellato can remember those early childhood influences on her career as vividly as the Latin words etched in a marble mosaic floor, or the faint aroma from old blueprints. “I remember visiting that [villa] every summer and walking its grounds, which happened to be very fragrant, formal…
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Lakefront serenity
At the top of a rolling hillside on the Lake Macatawa shoreline in Holland, Michigan, a contemporary, tranquil, and dynamic residence rests within its picturesque backdrop while posing a statement of architecture and craftsmanship. As an eastern-influenced, multi-part residence, the roughly 5,000-square-foot home was designed in 2013 by Sears Architects, a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based architecture and planning firm. The home features a layout naturally supporting entertainment and an overall aesthetic design composed of surprising and carefully crafted details around every corner. “It feels roomy and accommodates different activities happening at the same time, yet we didn’t have to design a castle; we didn’t have to design big,” Sears Architects said.…
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Sarah Bourgeois, AIA
Sarah Bourgeois, AIA, architect and owner of Sarah Bourgeois Architects in Traverse City, Michigan considers design as well-thought out, having proportion and scale, and a convergence of a lot of moving parts—but whether it is a good design or bad design, and what makes it so, is often in the eye of the beholder. “There are rules we start off with and ideas are often driven by clients—there are a lot of outside forces—but can it stand the test of time?” Bourgeois said. While officially launching her own venture in Traverse City around 2010, Bourgeois has had more than 20 years of commercial and residential experience. Sarah Bourgeois Architects has…
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The southwestern contemporary
Northern Michigan residential design often captures the intersection of breezy summer style oriented toward the area’s bounty of lakes and rivers, and the practical features necessary to withstand Midwest winters, which have recently pushed historical records. With a preference for the former, one homeowner in Northport, Michigan collaborated with Mapleridge Construction LLC, a custom home builder in Williamsburg, Michigan, to fit a contemporary, southwestern-inspired home within its setting on Lake Michigan in the summer of 2018. When approached with an initial design plan, Scott Naumes, co-owner of Mapleridge Construction, worked to create multiple renderings of it to incorporate the desired style and structural elements practical for all seasons. “It gave…
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Brent R. Dykstra, LEED AP
Brent Dykstra, LEED AP, senior architect and senior associate at AMDG Architects, Incorporated in Grand Rapids, Michigan knew he wanted to be an architect when he was about 12- or 13-years-old; although he didn’t completely know what it meant at the time. “It seemed like the right convergence of practical problem solving and artistic creation. I don’t think I ever felt like I wanted to go into a pure engineering side and I think I felt too practical to be an artist—and probably not creative enough—and I enjoyed history,” Dykstra said. “I think I’ve always just enjoyed understanding how things are the way they are.” Dykstra joined AMDG Architects in…
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Diverse craft
Variation in project scope and typology often brings new opportunities to play with different architectural styles, and for Elaine Keiser, AIA, architect and principal of Elaine Keiser Architect, Inc., those opportunities bring a breath of fresh air and thrill. “I really embrace the idea that we can venture out into different styles of architecture and find some new way to bring them together for what the client is looking for,” Keiser said. “What we design is tailored to them and that makes it a lot of fun and very interesting for everybody involved. I’m not stuck on any particular type of design.” Keiser, who is a licensed architect in seven…
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Kenneth C. Richmond, AIA
For Ken Richmond, AIA, founder, and partner at Ken Richmond, Architect in Traverse City, Michigan, a day in the life will often see him spending a certain amount of time interacting with clients and consultants, office time, and field time, and dealing with the process of building—which he pointed out is different than the end result. “To me the process is 90 percent of what we do and arguably more interesting, more important, and a lot of times more fun than the actual product, the actual end result,” Richmond said. While collaborating with clients during the design process—and often consultants as well—Richmond said there is a great deal of time…
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Inspired resource
When building or remodeling a residence, unforeseen details can arise at any point in the design process—often placing stress on homeowners, architects, builders, and others involved. Since 1968, Williams Kitchen & Bath in Grand Rapids, Michigan has positioned itself as a locally-owned kitchen and bath design and consultation company assisting homeowners in smoothing out the many details involved in realizing their dream space. With the added creative expertise of its talented professionals at Williams Studio, a sister company of Williams Kitchen & Bath located in Kentwood, Michigan, the company can partner with clients from the beginning of a project and guide it to completion while serving as a resource for…
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The crafted climb
With a well-tuned eye for detail developed by an early introduction to the art of carpentry and further honed by a 15-year specialization in stair systems, Matthew Conrad, design and installation specialist at Stair System Specialists in Saginaw, Michigan is no stranger to the craft. From compelling works of art designed to last and engaging stair systems unified with—and enhance—the architectural personality of a space, Stair System Specialists works to create solutions aligned with space, budget, and a vision blending beauty and function. While initially pursuing carpentry before working specifically as a trim carpenter for a regional high-end custom home builder, Conrad developed an affinity for the grand entrance of…
