Michigan Design Defies the Norms

A property with two distinct structures separated by a bridge is a standout in the suburbs of Detroit. Modern, boxy, and colorful, it’s a refreshing change from the norm.

“I’ve never seen something like this before,” says listing agent Shadia Martini, of Great Estates Realty.

The 2,940-square-foot residence on a lot of 2 acres in Franklin is listed for $950,000.

“The design is unique in how [the architect] separated the living area from the bedroom tower and connected them by a bridge,” says Martini. “The living space is all horizontal, and the bedroom space is all vertical.”

In 1977, architect Don Paul Young designed the living area, which contains the kitchen, dining room, and office, in one structure with a basement. A bridge connects the living area to a separate structure housing the bedrooms.

“You have two bedrooms and a bath on the main level; you have the master upstairs with a bathroom; and you have another bedroom downstairs,” explains Martini, who has lived in the home for a few stretches. Her sister-in-law is the homeowner.

“It’s light wherever you turn,” says Martini. “It’s open and you see light. It’s all glass, and it’s all windows.”

When she first saw the home, she thought it looked out of place among the traditional homes in the neighborhood, Martini recalls. “It has a flat roof, and we don’t have many of those. It gives it a different look. It’s very European with clean lines.”

Once inside, she was impressed.

“I was looking at this space and was like, ‘Wow. This is genius.’ The way it is laid out is truly architectural genius,” says Martini, who is also an architectural engineer.

While she’s had many showings, there have been no offers yet.

“It is going to take someone who is going to go in and say, ‘I see myself living here.’ Every single person who comes into this house says it is incredible,” she adds.