Drag

West Michigan20226,000 square feet

Hidden Creek

Hidden Creek

Hidden Creek

West Michigan20226,000 square feet

The Hidden Creek project embraces discovery, starting with a winding driveway that guides visitors through a dense woodland, true to the character of its Midwest topography. As the home comes into view, it is slowly unveiled, with the entry as the focal point.

Photographers

Jason Keen and Werner Straube

Builder

Rockford Construction

Interior Design

Kathy Waite

The building is a careful negotiation of sloping planes, transparency, and solid forms. It is punctuated by a central hearth, with expansive views overlooking a bending creek. Nestled into its larger wooded context, the home yields to its surrounding landscape. Inside, the spaces unfold along a natural ridge of the site, providing a perched condition that stretches horizontally over its northeast views of the woods and creek below.

Prioritizing beauty over square footage, all rooms have a collaborative function, and speak to simplicity. It was important to the family to create a living space that feels like a nest, whether for shared gatherings or private activities. The homeowners wanted an elegant, yet informal home where they could decompress, but also interact and entertain when desired.

Hidden Creek Aerial

The Hidden Creek project prioritized sustainable strategies in the whole design process,

including:

  • A high performing building envelope, with triple pane windows, and continuous exterior insulation throughout
  • A 10 KW solar panel array
  • Clerestory windows and deep overhangs, which maximize passive solar performance
  • High quality natural, renewable materials, organically treated to maximize life-span and building resilience
  • Sophisticated water management system to protect the long-term health of the building structure
  • Sensitive building siting that integrates architecture with existing natural systems
  • Minimal tree removal and sustainably harvested lumber for finish use
Hidden Creek Dining

Hidden Creek Exterior
Hidden Creek Kitchen
Hidden Creek Breakfast Nook
Hidden Creek Living Room
Hidden Creek Living + Dining Room
Hidden Creek Workspace
Hidden Creek Basement
Hidden Creek Exterior- back view
Hidden Creek BackView
Hidden Creek Back View
Recognition
Grand ARDA + Best in Show

ARDA Awards, 2023

Residential Architecture Award

AIA Grand Rapids, 2023

Hidden Creek Site Plan