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Brian Libby is a Portland-based architecture writer who has contributed to Dwell since 2004. He has also written for The New York Times, Architect, CityLab, Salon, Metropolis, Architectural Record and The Oregonian, among others. Libby additionally writes the Portland Architecture blog and is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer.

Wild California Meets Manicured Japan in This Family’s Backyard Garden Oasis
A couple transform their backyard into a botanical children’s playland and an ideal entertaining spot.
An Empty-Nester Couple’s Resort-Like Retreat Overlooks Silicon Valley
For a couple’s forever home, SB Architects draw from resort design to effortlessly blend indoors and out.
This Hermosa Beach Home With an Underwater Pool Window Nails California Living
Drawing from Nordic, midcentury modern, and beach house traditions, this family home is serene yet playful.
This Handcrafted Home in British Columbia Has Joyful Camp Vibes
The V-shaped lakefront retreat strikes a balance between privacy and welcoming a houseful of guests.
A Portland Midcentury Home Shines After an Epic, Decade-Long Renovation
Nestled into a forested hillside, the Cain Wong Residence fuses clean lines and chalet-like charm.
An Actor-Turned-Designer Couple Build a Dream Home in Oregon
This residence in Lake Oswego cascades down a hillside to embrace its waterfront locale.
A 1901 Craftsman in Seattle Gets a Svelte Cantilevered Addition
Blending old with new, a major remodel of this early 20th-century home includes a new rear designed by Best Practice Architecture.
This V-Shaped House’s Front Courtyard Opens Up to the Neighborhood
In West Vancouver, Architecture Building Culture creates an inviting residence that makes the most of a tricky, triangular site.
A Venice Penthouse Showcases Matchless Views and a Legendary Designer’s Evolution
For his top-floor apartment, Aldo Cibic draws inspiration from the city’s history as a colorful east-west crossroads.
A Radiant Remodel Revitalizes a Dark Seattle Tudor House
An artist takes an unorthodox approach to the renovation of a century-old residence in Seattle.
A Designer Updates a 1971 Home by Celebrated Washington Architect Moritz Kundig
Josh Hissong takes on the mantle of one of Washington’s most noted architects with a reverent renovation.
A Tall, Skinny Home Makes the Most of a Narrow Lot in Portland, Oregon
Despite its name, Waechter Architecture’s Slender House stretches out to make its site the real home.
Budget Breakdown: A Seattle Couple Expand Into a Backyard Addition For $413K
When a furniture restoration business threatens to take over their historic Craftsman, this couple opt for a net-carbon, backyard...
The Firm Behind the Legendary Apple Store Reimagines a Nike VP’s 1950s Home
Known for its unrivaled views, a ranch-style home in Portland, Oregon, gets a glass-centric overhaul.
This House in Oregon Has a Long, Strange History of Being Called a Frank Lloyd Wright
Rumors have swirled for decades that a midcentury gem in Portland is an unrecognized work.
Nearly 80 Years Later, an Architect Rescues a Japanese-Inspired Masterwork Designed by His Father
The new owners of an influential Portland, Oregon, house by Pietro Belluschi discover there’s more than architecture on the...
An Industrial Designer's House Blends Economy and Simplicity
This house In Portland, Oregon, makes the most out of its material palette.
This Light-Filled Industrial Renovation Plays Host to Live Music
In Portland, Oregon, a renovated warehouse fuses engineering and artistry, much like its owners.
Midcentury Renovation in Portland Capitalizes on Nature With Seven Doors to the Outside
An interior designer in Portland updates a 1950s home by a celebrated local architect.
Learn How to Connect with Nature from This Off-the-Grid Prefab
A prefabricated off-the-grid vacation home in eastern Washington is one with the land.
This Renovated Garage is the Ultimate Modern Party Space
A vacation home’s renovated garage fuses art and architecture.
A Tiny House Fits a Family in 196 Square Feet
A 196-square-foot house born of architectural know-how, an enterprising spirit, and just over $11,000 has become an inspiration...
Two Hardcore-Punk Aficionados’ Renovated Ranch-Style Home Packs a Green Punch
Even before construction was complete, the Stump House was turning heads.
Portland's 11xDesign Home Tour
It’s not every local homes tour that merits attention beyond a city’s borders.
Community Building
Completed in 2004, the Belmont Street Lofts—with their crisscrossing pattern of wood, metal, and glass—have settled neatly into...
The Pace of Portland
When creative director Ben Watson and his partner, painter Claudio Tschopp, relocated from Basel, Switzerland, to Portland,...
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