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Collection by Dan Golden

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From the front, Greg Hoffman and Kirsten Brady’s home in Portland, Oregon, bears little resemblance to the daylight ranch house that once stood in its place. Yet upon closer inspection, it is clear that the enlarged structure is actually an updated version of the same dwelling that has occupied the site since the early 1950s. More windows, a trellised roofline, a basalt privacy wall, and a flat-roofed, top-floor addition are among the most striking changes. Plantings were also added to enhance the yard. “There was zero landscaping,” says Greg, “If you look at the original photos, the house was just sitting on the ground.” All of the new features are carefully oriented so that the sightline from the street through the house to the vista beyond remains open. “The original house had a gap in the hedge so people could see the view,” Greg recalls. “We said, ‘Let’s keep that.’”
From the front, Greg Hoffman and Kirsten Brady’s home in Portland, Oregon, bears little resemblance to the daylight ranch house that once stood in its place. Yet upon closer inspection, it is clear that the enlarged structure is actually an updated version of the same dwelling that has occupied the site since the early 1950s. More windows, a trellised roofline, a basalt privacy wall, and a flat-roofed, top-floor addition are among the most striking changes. Plantings were also added to enhance the yard. “There was zero landscaping,” says Greg, “If you look at the original photos, the house was just sitting on the ground.” All of the new features are carefully oriented so that the sightline from the street through the house to the vista beyond remains open. “The original house had a gap in the hedge so people could see the view,” Greg recalls. “We said, ‘Let’s keep that.’”
The series of pitched white buildings was inspired by the work of architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen. “The shell of the house is a very simple form,” says Matthew Ford, “no turns or intersecting roof sections. This allowed me to use solid but inexpensive framing and roofing crews. We are always looking for the point where simplicity and luxury meet.”
The series of pitched white buildings was inspired by the work of architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen. “The shell of the house is a very simple form,” says Matthew Ford, “no turns or intersecting roof sections. This allowed me to use solid but inexpensive framing and roofing crews. We are always looking for the point where simplicity and luxury meet.”