View to Courtyard
This 3,700 SF house is located on a mountain west of Portland and is subject to strong, continuous winds. In addition to traditional household functions, our clients requested a Chinese kitchen, a large library, a painting studio, and a courtyard.
Being accomplished cooks they wanted a second kitchen devoted to preparing Chinese foods that would be separate from the rest of the house. The courtyard is tucked into the hillside and surrounded on two sides by the house to protect it from the winds. The Chinese kitchen, main kitchen, and guest room open onto the courtyard. The living room, library and master bedroom have views of Mt Hood and St Helens. The painting studio has large north-facing windows.
Rastra block insulates the house from heat and cold and muffles the sound of the wind. The construction employs metal roof, wood windows and a radiant concrete floor. This well insulated house uses a geo-thermal system for heating and cooling. A 10 kW wind generator takes advantage of the site’s steady winds to supplement electric power.
Bruce Forster Photography