Project: Red Hills Residence
Architecture: Scott Edwards Architecture
Location: Dundee, Oregon, United States
Year: 2023
Photo Credits: Peter Eckert Photography
The Red Hills Residence is nestled into the hills of Oregon wine country, offering a contemporary interpretation of the traditional farmhouse vernacular. Scott Edwards Architecture’s design is an invitation to slow the pace of life. The formal entry court leads through layers of landscaping and small yards to the house which, moving through, gradually dissolves into unobstructed views of the forested ridge and vineyards beyond.
The sunlight-dappled home is a respite, weaving interior and exterior materials and structural elements together intentionally in conversation with the surrounding natural landscape. Red Hills is sited to quietly rest within the forested land and maximize views from its place on a ridge overlooking vineyards beyond. A layered arrival to the site signals that it is time to let go of the day’s urgency—hedgerow trees give way to descending stairs, compressing down into the home and through to the main living area where a windowed wall opens up the space entirely to immerse into nature.
The architecture’s intentional simplicity starts by shifting and detaching volumes. The house is formed by two bars, one holding the private bedroom spaces and one the public spaces. A glassy entry pavilion links the two wings bringing in light and a view of the distant landscape beyond.
The Red Hills Residence helps curate meaningful moments that are sometimes unexpected. The kitchen is articulated in a niche, still open to the living and dining spaces but intentionally connecting to the intimate front gardens. The living and dining spaces open to a terrace overlooking vineyard-covered rolling hills and forest. From the corner of the dining room, windowed walls can be opened in both directions receding into pockets in the walls to create a truly indoor-outdoor flowing space.
The flow and materiality blur the lines between inside and out. Interior concrete floors are uninterrupted as they continue to the outdoor patio, Sho Sugi Ban siding flows past the grand floor-to-ceiling windows to the interior walls and cedar ceilings extend to eaves like the bows of the trees. These timeless materials will age gracefully and support the design’s simplicity.
A cohesive interior design language characteristic of Wabi-Sabi aesthetics is used throughout Red Hills—the principles of simplicity, asymmetry, naturalness, and tranquility invite residents to stay in the present moment. Natural materials add depth and synchronicity to the forest and hills.
The design applies passive and active sustainability strategies. Passive strategies include site orientation, concrete floors, efficient circulation, and a well-insulated envelope. The site also includes a 12.64 kW photovoltaic array—according to projections provided by Elemental Energy’s Solar Owner’s Manual, the array is expected to provide a 129% energy offset, saving $49,000 in electrical utility costs over its lifetime. This translates into 218 tons of carbon dioxide offset and 34 cars off the road.
