This project is part of a larger vision for Michigan City’s evolving waterfront. Developed in tandem with the adjacent Waterfront Park, the project explores how architecture and landscape can work together to reconnect the city to Lake Michigan while creating new opportunities for living, gathering, and recreation.

Historically, Michigan City's waterfront has been defined by its proximity to extraordinary natural resources while remaining fragmented by infrastructure and isolated development. The combined park and mixed-use development seek to reverse this condition by extending the public realm toward the water and creating a more continuous relationship between city, shoreline, and landscape.

The project proposes a hybrid model that combines hospitality, residential living, retail, and public space within a single framework. Rather than functioning as an isolated destination, Hotelminium is conceived as an extension of the waterfront itself—a place where residents, visitors, and the local community intersect through a shared network of plazas, promenades, terraces, and park spaces.

The adjacent Waterfront Park serves as the connective tissue between the development and Lake Michigan. Native planting, public gathering spaces, recreational amenities, and pedestrian connections establish a landscape that is both civic and ecological. Together, the park and building create a sequence of experiences that move from the urban fabric of downtown Michigan City to the shoreline beyond, reinforcing access to the lake while strengthening the identity of the waterfront as a public destination.

The architecture draws inspiration from the industrial history of the region and the elemental character of the lakeshore. Durable materials, generous glazing, and carefully framed views establish a dialogue between building and landscape, allowing the changing light, weather, and horizon of Lake Michigan to become central components of daily experience.

As with all Still Projects work, the design begins with an investigation of place. Hotelminium is not simply a building on the waterfront, but part of a broader effort to shape a more connected, walkable, and vibrant public realm. By weaving together hospitality, housing, recreation, and landscape, the project proposes a new model for waterfront development—one that creates long-term value for both residents and the community while allowing the natural character of the lakefront to remain the defining experience.

Date : 2016
Client : private
Area : 30,000sf
Budget : $25,000,000
Photos : Still Projects