House on Deep Creek Lake
Garrett County, Maryland

Maryland is a state with no natural lakes.   Deep Creek Lake, in western Maryland, was man-made in the 1930s for hydroelectric purposes, and has been a major recreational draw ever since.

The creation of the lake filled in several small, narrow valleys, resulting in an extensive finger-like perimeter.  This project is on one of those fingers.

Like most of the lake-front sites, the property has a considerable grade change from road to house.  We celebrated the descent by bringing the visitor through a portal created by two garages, down a stair, across a bridge and into the house, where the views open to the lake beyond.  One line, from street to water.

The house pairs around this line, with living spaces to the left and master bedroom suite to the right.  Other bedrooms are at grade level, one  floor below.  A roof-top guest suite perches above it all.

Materials — glass, stone, and wood —  are natural, taking their cues from  the site.