Wendell Burnette builds little house on the prairie in Wisconsin
This zinc-clad home by US studio Wendell Burnette Architects sits in the middle of a Wisconsin crop field (+ slideshow).
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_15-852x855.jpg)
The 5,000-square-foot Prairie House is a simple box clad in galvanised zinc, located on a 16-acre farmed site near the town of Ellington.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x572.jpg)
Crops grown across the stretch of land include corn, soybean, wheat, and oats, while apple orchards hide occasional pumpkin patches.
The two-storey volume stands alone on the flat plain, its metallic form visible from afar.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_14-852x1256.jpg)
"In the distance, the house is a stoic structure in the landscape, an object of utility that only reveals its purpose up close," said Wendell Burnette Architects.
The basic brief from the client – a professional oncologist and amateur astronomer of Lithuanian descent – was to be connected with the elements.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_11-852x1297.jpg)
Grain silos found across the landscape formed the choice of cladding, as well as a ladder that leads to a rooftop observatory for stargazing.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_10-852x1290.jpg)
"Its apparent simplicity is articulated by specific moments of experience," said the architects. "These encompass notions of the house as a tuneable instrument – to connect to, and be responsible to, our environment."
Rectangular in plan, the house is accessed via a gravel drive and then a cedar deck, which stretches to the southeast corner.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x1288.jpg)
Half of the ground floor is taken up by a bedroom, a bathroom and a media room, while the western portion contains a generous garage and a pottery studio.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_8-852x1242.jpg)
Up the staircase that divides the property's two halves, the layout swaps so the more open spaces are to the east.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x1311.jpg)
Here, the kitchen, living and dining areas lead onto a sheltered terrace at the end. Wooden cabinetry contrasts with the northern blockwork wall and dark grey flooring.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1271.jpg)
A sunken pit fronts an open fireplace, which helps keep the property warm during the cold winters. The feature is also hinted at on the exterior with two chimney flues.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x1265.jpg)
One the other side of the upper storey, the variety of rooms packed in around the master suite include a gym, a library, a gallery and a guest bathroom.
Large windows are positioned along the south facade to catch the most daylight.
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_2364_col_16-852x565.jpg)
Wendell Burnette Architects is based in Phoenix, and has also designed a home with rammed earth walls that features as one of our top five houses in Arizona.
Photography is by Bill Timmerman.
Project credits:
Project Team: Wendell Burnette, Scott Roeder, Matthew G. Trzebiatowski, Joe Herzog
Structural engineer: Rudow + Berry
Electrical engineer: Harwood Engineering
Mechanical engineer: Thelen Engineering
Civil engineer: Point of Beginning
Lighting design: Daryll Gregg
Landscape Design: Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture
Contractor: Miron Construction
![Field House by Wendell Burnette Architects](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/09/field-house-wendell-burnette-architects-residential-zinc-galvanised-metal-skin-wisconsin-usa_dezeen_ground-floor-plan.gif)
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