Weekend house

It took over a year for the project’s team, led by principal Mark McInturff, to meet with neighborhood commissions, historical societies, and preservation-review boards. “We lost several battles,” Daniel recalls. After receiving the go-ahead, Andrew Greene of Potomac Woodwork and Lofgren Construction also came aboard. In the living room, Jessica and Eliza chat on the Polder sofa by Hella Jongerius for Vitra.

Scott Pitek designed this gabled structure for Betty Rahman on a 5,000-square-foot lot in Portland, Oregon.

Three small pavilions connected by a deck form a summer retreat that balances privacy with a panoramic view—all in less than 900 square feet. Among the three pavilions are the standard comforts of any home: a kitchen, living space, and dining area are situated in an open floor plan in the main cabin, where a collection of vintage pieces—including leather lounge chairs from Belgium and a modern fireplace by Preway (whose chimney stretches into the tall ceilings)—mix with white Bertoia wire chairs and Noguchi table lamps.

The house may appear conventional at a glance, but a closer look shows how Oostenbruggen has pushed the boundaries of the traditional gabled typology. It has an asymmetrical roof, with slate shingles that extend down the eastern side to close it off completely.

superrkül dubbed this project the Stealth Cabin because it's hidden in the landscape and will continue to recede in view over time. Photo by Shai Gil.

The original structure was designed as a safe haven for Bruce; a place with a distinct sense of peace and quiet, communicated via the aggressively sheltered exterior perimeter and zen-like inner courtyard space. In many ways, the new addition adds a new narrative—Lisa’s desire to embrace the bustle of the city and integrate it into the home. The protruding windows allow the house to physically and visually reach out to the city beyond.

Dan Pacek and John Roynon of Leonia, New Jersey, expanded and renovated their tiny kitchen, integrating it more sensibly into their 1911 house while borrowing natural light from secondary sources, such as a window on the landing leading to the second floor.

Cottage Black in nestled in the aspen grove below the main house.

The intimate refuge was sited to be out of view from the main house.

The big window and door in the living room provide a connection to the aspen trees outside.

The minimalistic bathroom at the center of the studio separates the sleeping area from the living area .

The “black object” is all but completely hidden from the main house.

Much of the details edited away, Cottage Black is a strikingly simple, strong piece of architecture.

The clients insisted that none of the trees on the property be disturbed, so Kevin Alter and his team at Alterstudio Architecture built a deck and an overhang around two of them.