Project: Royal Residence
Architects: William / Kaven Architecture
Design Team: Daniel Kaven, Partner-in-Charge / Trevor William Lewis, Partner-in-Charge / Mike Perso, Director of Architecture / Katy Krider, Director of Interiors / Joel Dickson, Project Designer / Max Taschek, Project Designer
Location: Portland, Oregon
Square footage 4,352
Completed 2020
Photo Credits: Jeremy Bittermann
At the end of a long, sinuous road elevated high above the city in Portland’s beloved Forest Park, the Royal residence is perched elegantly at the coveted ecotone of forest and city along Royal Boulevard. Enter through a dramatic foyer with clerestory windows into the main living area, which features white oak floors with dark walnut inlay borders, a substantial wood-burning hearth, and a kitchen lined with custom-designed, handcrafted oak cabinetry. Floor-to-ceiling glass and wall-to-wall sliding doors seamlessly extend living into the forestscape, giving way to expansive terraces and unobstructed views of the natural flora cascading down to the valley floor.
Royal is a rare gem set into forested acreage less than 500 feet from the renowned Wildwood Trail, boasting sweeping exterior terraces and balconies overlooking a lush wooded expanse. The home, which was both designed and developed by William / Kaven Architecture, sits on one of nine parcels owned by the studio and associated partners. The design includes four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, common areas with open floor plans, and an oversized garage.
Located within minutes of downtown Portland, this intelligently designed modern dwelling cantilevers far above the forest floor among reaches of Douglas fir and vine maple. The property is encircled by a vast network of hiking trails. Morning rays reach into all bedrooms, which are carefully oriented to optimize eastern exposure. Throughout the day, kitchen and living areas are flooded with southern light, while the deciduous canopy perennially exposes the diffuse winter sky and tempers the hot summer sun. On warm nights, slide open the 13’ pocketed wall off the kitchen and dine beside a Juliet balcony overlooking dense greenery and deep ravines. Or, on winter nights, huddle beside the central hearth.
