A Couple in Their 70s Made Downsizing Easy by Building Right Next Door

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Project Details:

Location: Portland, Oregon

Architect: LEVER Architecture / @leverarchitecture

Footprint: 1,250 square feet

Builder: RS Wallace

Structural Engineer: Grummel Engineering

Landscape Design: Karen Ford

Cabinetry Design: Gideon Hughes Woodworks

Windows: Zola Windows

Metal Siding and Roofing: TT&L Sheet Metal

Photographer: Lara Swimmer / @laraswimmer

From the Architect: "Created for an active couple in their 70s, this compact single-story home is meticulously designed for aging in place comfortably. The residents chose to downsize from their three-story house to a new 1,250 square foot home with no stairs, built next door.

"Well proportioned and flexible spaces, abundant natural light, and an elegant, low-maintenance palette make this three-bedroom, two bath house comfortable to live in through all of life’s stages. Combining contemporary form and grounded materials, the home blends in amongst the Craftsman-style homes of their neighbors. As longtime residents, the clients welcome their neighbors with a friendly front porch with large, street-facing windows. A covered terrace for evening dinner parties in the garden is the centerpiece of the couple’s vibrant social life. A front office and bathroom can be used for an in-home caregiver in the future, and generous and level circulation space makes for comfortable navigation.

"Designed to feel warm in winter and cool in summer, the house is super-insulated with European triple glazed windows and a heat recovery ventilation system."