Project Description
Located on top of a butte in the Columbia River Gorge area endowed with sublime views of Mt. Hood to the south and Mt Adams to the north, the house is perched on a rocky escarpment which presents an interesting sectional opportunity, allowing the garage and mechanical to be tucked under the main level of the house, and a master bedroom space to be set above the main level all served by one vertical circulation core Shed roofs slope outward to the views and deep eaves extend the sense of expansion of the space outward as do floor to ceiling glazing and sectional shifts through spaces and between rooms from lower to higher ceiling heights. Windows are located at the extreme ends of hallways to continue view lines past the exterior walls into nature beyond. Commissioned by a couple retiring and moving from San Francisco back to the Hood River area where the husband is from, the house is designed to enable them to ‘age in place’. Wide corridors, an elevator, and a barrier free shower on the main floor situated between two bedrooms, as well as access to exterior ‘rooms’ such as decks and courtyards, will allow the couple to remain in the house for many years. An important objective in planning the house, apart from maneuvering to capture the best sight lines to the two mountains, was to be able to reduce the area inhabited (heated) by closing off all but the ‘essential’ house during the winter months by creating discrete north and south ‘bars’. Geothermal heat pump and solar collectors power the house. Cross ventilation is the main cooling strategy, however the owner decided to add AC to the house during construction when it became clear that the climate had warmed there since his childhood. They also needed to be able to accommodate large groups for gatherings such as political fundraisers and other local events. The scale of the loft like spaces and the open connections from interior to exterior spaces allow for a relaxed and spacious venue in a stunning setting.