The Pod House

This is the Bend, Oregon Pod House. The design solution was a direct response to the owners’ requirements for multiple outdoor spaces, a strong connection between indoor and outdoor living areas and separation between frequent guests and the master bedroom.

The 3 pods are arranged fan-like in wedge shapes and each is oriented towards a different mountain scape: Master Pod-Mt Bachelor; Living Pod (including Kitchen & Dining)-Broken Top and the Central Cascades; and Guest Pod (with Garage)-Northern Cascades.

The walkway from the driveway to the Covered Porch is flanked by 2 raised stone planters, bringing you to the Entry, which meets the continuous hallway that joins each pod in a long arc.

Each of the pods is separated by an outdoor space and is linked via glassed-in hallways. A private Spa Patio on the southwest side is accessed from the Master Pod, and a Guest Patio on the northwest side is accessed from the Guest Pod. Each of the pods’ shed roofs rises to the west, maximizing views. The Living Pod is bisected by a continuous cantilevered roof extending from the Covered Porch on the East side, over the Dining Rm, with a large skylight giving it a cozy definition in the Living area, to the Covered Patio extending along the entire west side of the Living Pod. The cantilever design additionally helps maximize views by not needing any view-blocking support columns. Large accordion doors in the Living Pod blur the lines between indoors and outdoors when open, and recessed heaters in the cantilevered roof increase the usability of the space into cooler days and nights.

The Covered Patio is flanked on the ends by a raised stone planter and a built-in BBQ, and perimeter stone walls for extra seating. In the center is a concrete fire pit area with a curved seat wall that overlooks a built-in Bocce ball court with recessed lights for night games. Recessed into the paver patio is a cast bronze compass indicating directions towards visible mountains and distant mountains climbed by the owners.

The main areas of each pod are finished on the exterior with vertical tongue-and-groove cedar siding with a light stain to reflect the natural environment, and smaller areas are finished in composite panels with a dark-gray paint that helps these areas to recede from the wood-faced areas. Other exterior finishes include natural stone, concrete slab and paver patios, glulam beams with end caps for protection, louvered aluminum sunshades to minimize summer solar gain, oversized aluminum-clad wood windows and doors and standing-seam aluminum roofs.

The driveway slopes downhill to a 3-car garage, oriented to the south in order to maximize solar access to a 7.44 kW PV solar array on the roof.