Located just outside of Bend, Oregon, this is our 1st real attempt at a carbon-neutral house. Advanced green strategies include a closed-loop geothermal heat pump system to heat and cool the house, solar photo-voltaic panels on the roof to provide power and hot water, deep overhangs to reduce heat gain in the summer, window & building envelope upgrades to minimize heat loss in the winter and materials that will be sourced within 500 miles of the project to reduce embedded energy and total carbon footprint.

Stylistically, this house is a contemporary twist on the old-west National Park Service lodge. The structure’s wings flank a central hall that is anchored by a fireplace at one end and a large bank of windows that overlook a patio/pool area, working fields and the Cascade Mountain range. The conveniences of a gourmet kitchen, home office, master suite, man cave and sauna are balanced by rustic materials that emphasize the masculine history of the setting. Finally, the structure is a part of a compound of buildings that form the perimeter of a drive court – a symbolic circling of the wagons from the frontier era.