Project: Tripod House
Architects: Fieldwork Design and Architecture
Lead Architects: Cornell Anderson, Partner/Architect; Tonia Hein, Partner/Interior Design; Lisa Kuhnhausen, Designer; Gauri Vengurlekar, Designer
Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
Area: 3050 m2
Year: 2020
Photographs: Jeremy Bittermann
Nestled in the rolling hills of Portland’s Hillsdale neighborhood, the Tripod House emphasizes its wooded surroundings through the use of glass thresholds and stunning outdoor living spaces.
The 3 offset volumes of the home create a secluded north-facing courtyard, serving as a sanctuary from the surrounding city. The main spaces of the house offer large, south-facing picture windows, providing views of greenery both on-site and of Portland’s West Hills beyond.
Organized to increase privacy as its occupants move off of the street, the Tripod House is arranged such that the dining and living spaces sit between the garage and the main bedrooms of the house. Glass thresholds connect the three pieces of the house, allowing for both formal and programmatic distinction so that each volume serves a distinct purpose of either service, gathering, or rest.
In addition to glass thresholds connecting the three volumes, pocket doors and floor-to-ceiling openings throughout the project create unobstructed openings and connections, allowing for seamless interaction between the home and site, and the spaces within the Tripod House.
The home’s neutral material palette, in tandem with these large openings and windows, floods the space with natural light and allows the surrounding natural beauty to serve as the color and artwork for the space.
