BEND RETREAT

This retreat in Bend, Oregon was designed for a returning client, a Seattle family of physicians who arrive with skis, mountain bikes, and a determination to leave the demands of professional life entirely behind. The brief was unambiguous: a tough, low-maintenance house that requires nothing of its owners beyond showing up. The architecture answers that call without apology.

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A continuous shell of ribbed black steel wraps walls and roof in a single industrial gesture, set on a concrete pad and demanding nothing in the way of upkeep. From the exterior the house reads as almost impenetrable, a deliberate quality that ensures complete privacy and signals that this is a place apart. The interior tells a different story. White surfaces wall to wall, polished concrete floors, and a curated collection of colorful art and furnishings create a calm, warm counterpoint to the severity outside. Storage was designed throughout to absorb the full volume of gear that serious outdoor pursuits require, ensuring the living spaces remain uncluttered regardless of what the weekend brought in.

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To the north, walls of glass slide open to connect the interior to a private grove of trees, dissolving the boundary between inside and out when the Oregon weather allows. A fire pit extends the outdoor season well into the colder months. And at the heart of the courtyard, a landscape design of playful circular forms, inspired by a generously proportioned pizza oven, delivers the final note of surprise in a house that is more layered than its exterior suggests.

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Location: Seattle, Washington

Size: 3,000 SF

Status: Completed 2011

Photography: Daniel Sheehan

Local Architect: HD Architecture

Builder: J.B. Davis Construction