Step inside this award-worthy mono-pitch roof house designed for a creative couple – a writer and a photographer/musician – where sustainability meets artistry.
Highlights of the Project: Mono-Pitch Roof & Passive Solar Design: A striking silhouette that’s perfectly suited for harsh winters, with overhangs designed as bold aesthetic statements. Cutting-Edge Construction: CNC-produced engineered wood structure and advanced building techniques earn this home its LEED Platinum certification. Charred Cedar Cladding & Aspen Interiors: Dark, dramatic exterior paired with light, bright, and airy interiors. Tall Colonnade Windows: Series of slim, rectangular windows immerse the interiors in the surrounding woods. Creative Studios: Two north-facing studios for writing and photo editing Two south-facing studios for music and fabrication Integrated circulation links the studios with the rest of the home Monumental Bathing Space: A cavernous spa-like bathroom with a dramatic east-facing window floods the space with natural light. Flexible Spaces: Varied ceiling heights create a surprising range of spatial experiences in a one-story building.
Key Features at a Glance: Passive solar, sustainable design CNC engineered wood structure LEED Platinum certification Four studios fostering creativity Monumental bathroom with dramatic lighting
From the very beginning, the clients arrived with a clear vision,
a mono-pitched roof, a defined footprint, and a home that could double as a creative retreat.
She is a writer, he's a photographer and musician, both needing spaces that foster inspiration
while maintaining a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.
Rather than simply adopting the archetypes of solar passive or green homes,
the design sought to reinterpret them with originality.
The mono-pitched roof, ideal for harsh winter conditions, became a key aesthetic feature.
Deep overhangs, usually treated as purely functional,
were sculpted into an integral part of the building's identity.
The result is a home that combines cutting-edge sustainability
with a striking contemporary presence, earning LEED Platinum certification
through its CNC-produced engineered wood structure and advanced building techniques.
Externally, the house is clad in charred cedar,
while ceilings and soffits contrast in pale white aspen.
This interplay between dark exteriors and bright interiors creates a tactile, inviting atmosphere.
Tall, slender windows arranged like a colonnade replace traditional picture frames,
immersing occupants in the surrounding woods while drawing daylight deep into the spaces.
Despite being a single-story building,
a dynamic ceiling height produces a wide variety of spatial experiences.
The program includes four dedicated studios arranged by orientation,
two north-facing spaces for writing and photo editing,
and two south-facing spaces for music and fabrication.
Instead of isolating these rooms, they're woven into the home's circulation routes,
encouraging fluid movement between work and living areas.
A monumental bathing area anchors the plan, featuring a cavernous interior
and a dramatic east-facing window that floods the space with morning light,
a bold reimagining of the bathroom as a place for contemplation as much as function.
Above all, the house is designed to foster creativity and connection.
By balancing openness with separation, it allows both partners to work independently
yet remain linked through the shared rhythm of the home.
A contemporary retreat rooted in sustainability, craft, and imagination.
