Flowing Ground

A multilevel design means that the outside is never far away in CBC House.

Tsai Design relocated the bedroom. In its place are the main living areas, including the dining room seen here. A built-in bench tucks neatly beneath the interior window.

Noted Portland architect Richard Campbell designed this two-story residence on a wooded lot in Portland’s Highland Crest neighborhood as his primary home. After it was completed in 1966, the house received a 1979 addition by architect Gary Michael. It was later restored and renovated by Paul McKean Architecture in two phases, from 2011 to 2013 and 2018 through 2019.

The gabled form of the building is sliced open at the entrance to reveal a deliberately placed tree. This building houses four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen; the main living spaces are located in the second building.

The home's lower level is submerged in the hillside. The three bedrooms on the upper level have access to the roof terrace.

"Fabio is a triathlete and wanted a lap pool, and it also serves as a sort of plunge pool for the family," Sweet says. "It has a mechanical system that essentially turns the pool into a treadmill for his training." Western red cedar was used throughout the interior ceilings, and polished concrete flooring continues outside as pavers.

Nestled in the jungle of São Paulo, Casa de Vidro (or Glass House) was the first built project by architect Lina Bo Bardi. Its glass volume stands on thin support columns that allow greenery to grow into the home.

Tom works on his latest series of sculptures as daylight flows into his basement studio from the sunken front garden.

The architect considers this the "heart of the house, where all of our valuable possessions, from books, to movies, to records, are stored," he says.

A soaring tower of shelves crafted from Shinnoki pre-finished wood panels in the "Ivory Oak" color now form the family library.

The built-in cabinet bench is original to the home, while Ginger’s low, clean-lined furnishings underscore, without distracting from, the incredible views.

The home boasts numerous outdoor spaces, many protected from unpredictable rain showers.

A Japanese soaking tub is positioned beneath a window to appreciate the site.

The new deck lets the owners glory in the incredible views.

A cedar-clad ceiling emphasizes the dramatic volumes of the combined living spaces, and the windows bring in the “dappled light” from the trees, says Rogers. The new plan makes entertaining much easier for the couple, with easy flow from the interiors to the roof deck and yard.