Designed in collaboration with HC+RA, this residential project was designed to reflect the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and to give form to the belief in architecture as a dialog between the human made and natural world. Our approach was to identify and map the primary natural forces and then design a house that both acknowledged and respected those natural forces while attending to needs for living, working, and entertaining. The house is composed of a series of pavilions set in the landscape which have been placed gradually and sequentially higher in concert with the rising topography.
The pavilions are connected by a double height gallery that houses an extensive collection of art works. Light and sun are a precious commodity along these latitudes and the residence responds to it by opening to the sunny orientations while protecting from the shady ones. The volumes are covered by individual shed roofs that also open towards the light.
The connection with the outdoors is established through openings and also through the creation of outdoor areas relating to each pavilion. With a focus on sustainability, all of the rainwater from roofs and gardens is collected and stored for reuse as irrigation. The selection of the finishes has been guided by a desire to incorporate as much as possible green, local materials together with a general consideration for ease of maintenance.