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One of the benefits of building into the hillside is that Catherine and her dog, Lydia, are able to access the home's rooftop deck.

The vertical, three-level cabin is compact in footprint, but maximizes every square foot.

Looking back to the rear of the sauna and guest bedroom from the field. The large windows not only invite the view inside, but also reflect the landscape and allow the built forms to dissolve.

Floor Plan of SI House by Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos

The house is located on a five-acre parcel, mostly comprised of native Patagonian oak trees.

The landscape behind the house was left natural. Oak and juniper trees dominate the plot, and forest critters—foxes, wolves, raccoons—are frequent guests. Due to COVID-19 supply chain holdups, the exterior doors arrived several months late, which, according to the homeowner, resulted "in a raccoon being the first resident of our house."

The large blue barn door, mimicked by the garage doors, is an hommage to the family home, which also has big sliding storm doors.

In the evening, the glass-clad home glows from within, an inviting presence in the forest. While the interior is highly visible, the trees and landscaping on the sloped site offer privacy for the residents.

Owners Jill and Toby Gebben went on their first date by the shores of Lake Michigan, and long dreamed of building their own lakeside cottage.

Hood Cliff Retreat (Wittman Estes)