Syncline Residence
This single-family residence is situated atop the Syncline Wall along Courtney Road in White Salmon, Washington, on a 60-acre site with commanding views up the Columbia River to the east and toward Mt. Adams to the north. Designed for a young family, the project responds to both the expansive landscape and the intimate rhythms of domestic life.
The design takes its formal cues from the vernacular agricultural sheds of the region, reinterpreted through a refined, contemporary lens. The structure is composed of three volumes—north, east, and south wings—arranged in a pinwheel configuration around a central courtyard. This formal strategy allows the residence to open selectively to the site, balancing exposure with protection, and enables each wing to function independently while maintaining strong spatial continuity.
The central east wing houses shared living spaces and serves as the axial connector between the bedroom and support program to the north and the private owner’s suite to the south. These lateral wings are oriented perpendicular to the main volume, reinforcing the relationship to topography and views, and creating framed moments of connection to the surrounding landscape.
Clad in naturally weathering cedar and unified under a continuous standing seam metal roof, the material palette is intentionally restrained to heighten the experience of light, shadow, and texture. The massing and material articulation work in concert to define thresholds, modulate scale, and provide a tactile backdrop to daily life.
Currently in permitting, the project is slated to begin construction in early summer 2025.