Pear Lake Camp

Custom Home, New Build | Trego, WI

Connection to the Land

The Clients have a deep emotional connection to their wooded lakeside lot in Northern Wisconsin. It started with a one-room timber framed cabin built by hand in the 1990’s. A bunk house was added shortly afterwards to host guests for long weekends. More recently the “Party Barn” was added as an informal indoor gathering space to entertain guests. They now desired a larger cabin with a full kitchen and additional bedrooms but that still respected their established patterns of activities. The original cabin was relocated on the site further inland, and a new home was designed with modern amenities while still maintaining a cozy cabin feel.

Outdoor Living

Entry

The Entry is nestled between two gables and opens to an inviting Dining Room table and a framed view of the lake. 

Timber Framing

As a nod to the original cabin, the new cabin incorporates a hand framed timber structure (No nails or metal connections!) that houses the public spaces: Kitchen and Great room. The Clients wanted a layout that took advantage of the peninsula location to maximize views of the lake. The new design has precisely located windows that create 180-degree view of the water from the Living Room and Screen Porch, and framed views of the water from the Dining Room and Entry/stair.

Kitchen

The Kitchen and Great Room are designed as the main social area/gathering space for guests, with food prep as a shared activity. The Great Room seating is open to Kitchen for easy conversation and bookended by a 1 ½ story stone fireplace on the other side.

Stair

Porch

 A three-sided Screen Porch on the main floor has uninterrupted views of the lake.

Exterior

The exterior is clad in natural stone and thermally modified wood, both locally sourced. SIPs (Structural Insulted Panels) were used on the roof and exterior insulation on the walls to prevent thermal bridging and increase energy efficiency.

Project Collaborators: Indicia Interior Design, RPS Home Builders (contractor), Bunkers & Associates (structural engineer), Big River Timberworks (timber frame), Spacecrafting (photography),

Awards: Selected for the 2025 AIA MN Homes by Architects Tour