Project Statement

Prior to the creation of Beaver Lake, the story goes that this property was used to cultivate strawberries and raise hogs. The property is located on Angell Road, which is the namesake of the original builders of this house, Bob and Patsy Angell. Legend has it that this same road once had the moniker of “Whiskey Road” from the age of Prohibition, as it led to the bottom of a deep valley where the road forked and provided two (or three) different directions for bootleggers to run. Perhaps that is a story for another time…but upon acquisition of the property in 2016, three adventurous families began a journey to “till the soil” so to speak, and remake this lake haven in an aptly named place they refer to as Chateauzark.

The main house was built in 1976 as a one-bedroom, two and half bath structure with an open living area and an open sleeping loft above. As a quintessential “lake house” typology, the home boasts an expansive wall of glass looking upon over one thousand feet of shoreline along Beaver Lake. Nestled under a large gable that is anchored by a massive central native stone fireplace, the view and proud perching of the home is essential. This adhoc chalet perhaps yearned to be a chateau–but in the meantime the funky house was painted in a wild scheme of bright orange with bright blue trim, reminiscent of a cheesy football team color scheme…for no apparent reason whatsoever.

Most notable in terms of vernacular structures on the property, however, was a classic Ozark barn complete with roof geometries that can only be cultivated by the uneven settling of the land, the pliability of wood construction, and the clever craftsmanship of father time’s patina.

Renovations on the main house began in 2024, with a clean overhaul of the kitchen and living spaces that include custom CLT furniture as well as refreshed bedroom suites. A new weathering steel roof was wrapped onto a new steel deck structure over a portion of the existing wrap-around deck along with a fresh paint job on the existing wood siding.

In 2025 a new wing was completed, adding a gameroom and four suites to the ensemble. The addition is crafted in concrete and southern yellow pine cross-laminated timber (CLT), the first residence in the state of Arkansas to be built with this timber technology. The construction is akin to a beautiful little basswood model that architects are so fond of…but full scale. The entire wing along with the roof of the main house, are clad in corrugated weathering steel panels with a crisp form and weathered materiality…a respectful juxtaposition to the old barn from which all good simple details are derived.

Utilizing a modular construction framework, 65% of the project's materials were delivered to the remote site by Sterling Structural Solutions in flat-packed stacks of CLT. Carbon sequestration through mass timber, a highly detailed and energy efficient envelope, a VRF mechanical system, and a solar array were all combined to decrease the resource footprint of the addition.

Large sliding glass doors independently access each new suite from the exterior deck, a throwback to midcentury road-motel concepts of yore. The CLT is fully exposed in every possible location to amplify the natural cabin feel and as a compliment to the expansive views to the water from each room. All the other surfaces are clad in strips of southern yellow pine lumber (no drywall, no paint!) while the millwork is crafted from walnut, as a warm contrast to the prevalent pine.

The architectural composition of Chateauzark–crafted in raw and timeless materiality–blends historical layers with an abstract and modern addition. The ensemble is nestled within the distinct Ozark cross-section that characterizes this lakeside retreat. By reinforcing the site's functional heritage through a bold, vernacular-driven form, the design captures expansive lake views and establishes a dedicated “happy place” for three families to gather.