The Aspen Grove House embraces its dramatic location at the toe of Flagg Mountain, enveloped by aspen trees. A 5,000 sf "buildable zone" limited where the house could be placed. A nearby road and popular ski trail made creation of private areas challenging.
The design began as a 2600 sf, "box" within the buildable area. The first move was to carve away portions of the box to create outdoor rooms, responding to different views and allowing different levels of exposure. The external "skin" is rusted steel siding. Wherever the plan cuts into the box, the exposed "flesh" is dark-stained cedar siding. Setting the house below road level adds privacy. The master bedroom opens into the grove, while a tall ceiling and windows at the living room encompass Flagg Mountain in the foreground. The kitchen and dining spaces open into the central outdoor room.
Mazama is a fire-prone area. The house was designed to be resilient and "firewise." The landscape design allows for a non-combustible perimeter zone. Other sustainable strategies include passive shading, a high-performing thermal envelope, LED lighting and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
