west hills residence

IIDA Design Excellence Awards "Best Of Residential"

IIDA Design Excellence Awards "GRAY’s Choice Award" from GRAY Magazine

“How a Dank ‘70s Swimming Pool Became a Woodsy Modernist Gem,” Portland Monthly Magazine, March 2015

“The 2014 GRAY Award Goes To…,” GRAY Magazine, December 2014-January 2015

“Cool Indoor Pool, Tractor Shed and Nike Projects: Fieldwork Design,” The Oregonian, July 2015

Located in the West Hills above downtown Portland, the intent of this 1,230 square foot project was to remodel the lower level of the house into an environment that is timeless and consistent with the original character of this mid-century modern residence while strengthening the connection to the outside, including views of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens beyond. The program requirements consist of a full renovation of an existing indoor swimming pool room and transforming a large unfinished basement utility and storage area into a wine cellar and changing room.

To provide a seamless connection to the outdoors, the design team replaced 7 existing interior wood columns with 4 cedar-wrapped steel columns and added a single 4-panel sliding door system spanning from floor to ceiling adjacent to the redesigned pool.

Sustainable strategies include re-purposing framing from the demolition for use in the new remodel, using Western Red Cedar and other materials that were sourced locally, replacing inefficient HVAC and dehumidification systems with the highest efficiency systems available, insulating the walls and ceilings using insulation with recycled content, and using low or zero VOC paint and finishes.

Location // Portland, Oregon

Scope // Architecture, Furniture, Interiors

Collaborators // Modern Organic, Munzing Structural

Photographer // Brian Walker Lee