Clients Bill and Tosca Russo purchased a beautiful 3 acre wooded hillside lot overlooking Pewaukee Lake, seeking a home that naturally fit its site while celebrating expansive lake views and evoking the spirit of Fallingwater. The result is an approximately 5,000 square foot home constructed of stone and stucco, organized across five distinct levels—from an underground parking garage at the lowest level to a tree?top observation deck designed to further enhance the view.
At the highest level, a glass floor channels natural light down into the living alcove below, softly illuminating the stone fireplace and an interior trellis element. A dramatic skylight and central staircase serve as key focal points, and an elevator ensures accessibility throughout the residence.
While the design maximizes glass and outdoor vistas, it also creates intimate spaces. The sunken living room, with its lowered cork?covered soffit and stone fireplace, offers a more inward?focused retreat. Overall, the home presents a dynamic interplay of spatial compression and expansion and employs the concept of miegakure—hiding and revealing—to express the essence of organic architecture.
Photo Credit for Hand-Drawings: Robert Hartmann
Russo Residence Colored Sketch
Russo Residence Sketch
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence - Pewaukee, WI
Russo Residence Layout