Ray House
Location: Roseburg, OR

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the lush North Umpqua River Valley sits the Ray House, our second commission from a progressive developer in Southern Oregon.  The request for maximizing views of, and absorbing the 180 degree sunrise to sunset panorama of the valley resulted in an ”X” shaped plan with the living wing jutting south into the landscape, shrouded entirely in glass. 

Passive and active solar strategies come into play with appropriate depth overhangs, operable shading features, as well as photovoltaic and thermal collectors hidden on the roof.  Outdoor “rooms” range in scale from the large patio housing the infinity lap pool, to an outdoor dining room and multiple private courtyards at the master, down to a hidden al-fresco shower with a view of the river below.  Durable materials such as concrete, steel, and aluminum are utilized in areas exposed to weather, while locally harvested walnut is utilized extensively on the interior to warm and soften the home.  A 14 foot tall, 140 foot long concrete datum wall runs east to west on the site, organizing the project into vehicular and pedestrian scaled zones.