Historically, the great North Shore residences have taken their cues from English manors and Italian villas. But there are a few architecturally significant contemporary houses scattered across these well-groomed burbs, including designs by Keck & Keck and Edward Dart. One big, bold example in Glencoe designed by Tony Grunsfeld and once owned by novelist Scott Turow is now on the market at just under $8 million.

The Chicago-born Grunsfeld trained at MIT and worked for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Holabird & Root, and Bertrand Goldberg before launching a partnership with Wallace F. Yerkes in 1956. A modernist through and through, Grunsfeld, who designed several North Shore houses, was comfortable working on large-scale residences, as this 1997 home at 325 Shoreline Court attests. At over 6,000 square feet, it features massive living, dining, and kitchen spaces, as well as five bedrooms and five full and two half bathrooms.

Sitting on the lake, the cedar-clad house provides stunning views, especially from the living room, with its 21-foot-high windows. A gently spiraling staircase and fireplaces contrast with the home’s rigorous geometry. For all its openness, the house is designed for privacy, with the primary suite (complete with two huge walk-in closets and an office) in one wing and the smaller bedrooms in another.

The kitchen is anchored by a long bowfront island, which houses a stovetop and features an eating area big enough to seat eight-plus. Following the slope of its site, the house offers living on three levels, including a fully finished lower floor comprising a rec room, gym, and bath. Flagstone patios and a screened porch adjacent to the breakfast room make it easy to enjoy the lakeside location.