The Lake House is a bespoke family home located on the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. The client engaged GRAS to design a residence capable of accommodating both a parent couple and their extended family, including children and grandchildren.

GRAS approached this challenge as a typological exploration of the evolving North American home, with particular attention to the suburban model. The design navigates the complex brief of creating a home that can comfortably expand and contract, functioning both as an intimate space for two and a larger gathering place for up to fifty people.

The project draws on a rich dialogue between domestic and vernacular architectural traditions, tracing influences from the earliest periods of Western settlement in America through to contemporary design. This cross-pollination of styles imbues the Lake House with a distinctive character. It aims to create an American suburban home informed by European and Scottish architectural heritage, blending cultural references to craft a unique and layered living environment.