Location: Illinois
Material: Accoya Morning Dew
Architect: Jaffe Architecture & Interiors
Builder: Wujcik Construction Group
Set above a dramatic ravine overlooking Lake Michigan, Ravine Reimagined is a Highland Park couple’s long-envisioned forever home. It’s modern, serene, and deeply connected to its landscape. Jaffe Architecture & Interiors pursued a restrained, monochromatic palette, allowing the architecture to recede into nature. The resulting blend of Danish handmade brick and light Accoya wood adds quiet texture and warmth without demanding attention.
Understated Strength
Delta’s Accoya finished in Morning Dew became central to achieving that quiet strength. “Given the home’s exposure to Lake Michigan winds and the clients’ desire for lower-maintenance materials, it was important to specify a siding product that could withstand the elements without compromising the design vision. Delta’s Accoya delivered the performance we needed, along with a finish that felt soft and natural, complementing the handmade Danish brick and supporting the goal of a warm, quiet, and enduring palette.”
Reflection of the Ravine
Throughout, detailing was deliberate and refined. “Instead of using conventional trim, we opted for a clean mitered corner with a powder-coated aluminum key, creating a sharp, modern edge that still honors the natural material.”
Wood also plays a key role in connecting the home to its surroundings. “Wood softens the modern lines of the home, creating a tactile contrast to the brick and echoing the natural rhythm of the ravine,” the architects explained. “It brings both visual depth and a lived-in quality to the design—helping the home feel as if it’s always belonged to the land.” This quiet integration ensures the house complements, rather than competes with, the dramatic landscape.
Baker takes viewers inside the project to explain how shou sugi ban was selected not only for its visual impact, but for its ability to meet performance expectations over time. Craftsmanship, durability, and design work together to make Theatre Squared as resilient as it is compelling.
A defining moment in the project came with the cantilevered second floor above the entry. “The wood cladding was expertly coursed and wrapped to create the effect of a floating volume, giving the architecture a sense of lightness and lift” the team said. “That space below became a dramatic, sheltered arrival point, and seeing that detail executed so precisely was incredibly rewarding. It’s a clear expression of the design intent—modern yet warm, sculptural yet grounded.”
Ravine Reimagined continues to reflect its guiding principles of restraint and permanence. “It’s the story of a couple who waited until the right moment to build the forever house they always imagined. Serene, deeply personal, and rooted in place.”
