It was inspired by the owner’s love of her childhood treehouse, and is a vertical intermediary between the mountains and plains. Charged with designing a home on an existing foundation and on a site bound by stringent development parameters, the house was formed as a series of responses to the specific constraints of the site: a steep slope that demanded entry below the main public level, opposing views to both mountains and plains, and very tight development boundaries. The results are unique spaces threaded together by a connective spine that both differentiates and connects the living areas. From the kitchen, which acts as the “nerve-center,” and connects various viewpoints around the house, inhabitants enjoy framed views of the surrounding landscape through strategically sized and placed windows.

Initially designed for a young couple and their two sons, Arch11 has remodeled the home for two subsequent owners including energy upgrades (making it near net zero) and additions to the home. We welcomed the opportunities to revisit our work at each remodel and the ability to clarify and improve the intent of the house and spaces. Spare form and rich material are coupled throughout the house. The interior is a minimalist palette that stands in contrast to figured pine flooring salvaged from a North Carolina textile mill.