Working in close partnership with Hoerr Schaudt — one of the country’s most respected landscape architecture firms — TCG was brought in to fabricate and install a series of custom structures across a sprawling sandy dune property near Lake Michigan. The scope evolved throughout the engagement, and our ability to flex without losing precision made the difference.

The project’s centerpiece is a recreation of the owner’s favorite Par 3 golf course holes — positioned deliberately to be visible from his home office window. Cedar prefabs were designed and built in our shop, then installed across the dune terrain as bridges connecting the various elements of the property. Every piece had to be structurally sound, visually cohesive, and ready for a landscape that doesn’t sit still.

The property has two entry points. Custom gates were designed and fabricated for both — a lower entry gate and an upper courtyard gate — each with its own character while sharing a consistent material and craft language. Finding the right timber for the main entry gate required an exhaustive search; we communicated extensively with Hoerr Schaudt to get the species, dimension, and finish exactly right. The result: we’ve now established a reliable source for exotic wood species that will serve future projects.

As the project progressed, additional scope was added — a parcel delivery structure outside the main gate, a custom outdoor shower — and TCG absorbed each addition without disruption to the overall timeline. That kind of flexibility, built on a solid prefabrication foundation, is what allows us to say yes when the design evolves.