The existing house sits on an acre of land and is a notable example of a 1950's contemporary post and beam construction. The master bedroom/bath wing extends westward and has become sequestered in a mixture of native and introduced flora. The owners asked for a remodel of this wing that would allow greater exchange with their surroundings as well as greater enjoyment of the daily bathing/bedding ritual. The resulting design features a native boulder shower, vaulted skylights with views into overhead pine boughs, and a two-sided fireplace.

The existing bathroom is removed to enlarge the bedroom and 430msquare feet are added to accommodate a new, enlarged bathroom. The new floor is set down at ground level to preserve and accentuate the long roof line which is the dominant feature of the house. The new extension creates an effective separation between parking and garden with the north wall extending all the way into a natural draw.

The bathroom elements are arranged around a central open shower which is based on an ideological composition of the four Aristotelian elements: fire, earth, air and water; and the corresponding four fundamental sensual qualities: hot, cold, dry, and wet.

Fire (hot and dry): A see-through fireplace serves both bedroom and bathroom and allows the sensual experience of fire and water simultaneously.
Earth (dry and cold): Native boulders from a local quarry anchor the shower and spa realms while linking inside and outside.
Air (hot and wet): Large, vaulted skylights relieve the low ceilings, flood the interiors with light and afford views up into extensive pine boughs above.
Water (wet and cold) Dual shower heads dropping down from the skylight are a mechanical metaphor for rain from the sky.