House in Michigan
Birmingham, MI
Completed 2022
11,000 sf New Construction
Design Architect: Khanna Schultz Architects
Photography: Michael Moran/Peiheng Tsai
Set back from the street, this modern home presents large planes and simple massing around a central courtyard.
The palette of the house is limited, with each material expressed as its integral color - precast concrete and weathered steel on the exterior, and precast concrete, polished concrete, wood, plaster, and blackened stainless on the interior. The grey and dark general tone presents a lighting challenge of balancing highlight and shadow.
To support the building’s clean geometry and rigorous detailing, lighting assumes an invisible form utilizing miniature recessed fixtures with low glare optics and concealed architectural coves.
2700K light softens the bold concrete and steel materials for a domestic setting. Continuous wall washing enhances the surface texture and provides a contemplative ambience to open areas.
Exterior landscape lighting was crucial in extending visual boundaries beyond the house’s footprint while providing a sense of privacy in a dense suburban neighborhood.