Communitecture

Jan 2012

Construction is underway on the first of three 27-unit apartment buildings in Anchorage, Alaska. Each structure is 3-stories and over 46,000sf. Much attention was given to co-locating the main entrances of each building to boost the communal aspect of the site, as well as to maximize views of the Chugiak Mountains. Multiple siding textures were used to help break up the scale of the building and add visual interest.

$105k

Anchorage, AK

Jan 2009

This gorgeous new home incorporates nearly enough on-site energy generation to meet its own needs. Using a large PV array, this house will often have surplus energy to share. It will also require less power due to high thermal performance and low-e systems and appliances. The design includes radiant floor slab, solar hot water, water catchment systems & cisterns, and many recycled & natural materials, including trees as columns.

$12k

Portland, OR

The first permitted strawbale structure in Portland, this addition has opened the door to more ecological construction in the city. With the birth of their first child, this family needed to expand their home to have more family space while adding a home clinic for their naturopathic business. The addition brings in a great deal of natural light, opens the kitchen to the south, and features skylights, earthen plaster, bamboo flooring, recycled doors and windows, and many other natural features and finishes.

$30k

Portland, OR

This little two level structure accommodates a 400 sf ground level workshop, garage, and kayak storage facility. The upper level provides space for an office with a small bathroom and kitchen. The design is oriented towards the street with an entry door and porch, and windows with overhead trellises, while the south and western sides open with a second level deck towards a large annual garden.

$70k

Portland, OR

This project adds approximately 1,200 square feet to an existing Victorian house by placing two additional floors above the existing kitchen. The form of the addition is new, adding complexity to the overall period house, yet sheathed in the same texture. Window placement, parapets, skylights, and other design considerations are skillfully balanced to create something fresh but also respectful of the historic house.

$210k

Portland, OR

This 2000 sf owner-built strawbale home is unique in many respects, beginning with a structural system that exposes the bearing posts and beams internally; the craftsmanship is creative and exhibits great care. The overall form defines an exterior courtyard, focusing views directly to Mt. Adams to the north, and an outdoor kitchen. The project also features solar hot water heating and photovoltaic energy generation systems.

$230k

Mosier, OR

This 2,300 sf timber frame strawbale home is entirely built of logs sustainably harvested from its seven acre site. The home, organic in form, is nestled into its wooded site, with huge exposed round wood trusses, a highly efficient russian fire system, and beautifully detailed windows. The interior and exterior walls feature sculptural strawclay and cob plaster.

$280k

Molalla, OR

The renovation of this hillside home reinvents the entire look and feel of this house. The entry addition not only brings function and style, but brings much needed light into the center of the home. The master bathroom is equipped with a two person walk-in shower, and a door was added to gain access to the new lower deck and spa. The living room was given a much warmer feel with a custom wall of casework, the installation of colored stone, and the reconditioning of the original wood beams. The challenges of working on a steep slope were met with the installation of a large retaining wall and planter along the street.

$160k

Portland, OR

Located on a 57-acre site in White Salmon, Washington, Atlan is inspired by a group of active visionaries with a comprehensive, regenerative vision. It is a human habitat that is infused with creativity and spiritual appreciation. Its intentional vision is to honor the continuity of human settlement on the land through a cluster of residences, and also to heal its damaged landscape community.

White Salmon, WA