The Expanse

Integrating into the landscape

The Expanse’s glass volume floats above the natural landscape, taking in the panoramic views of the Cascades. The home’s site is located on the edge of a conservation area in Bend, Oregon, and offers an immersion into the high desert and easy access to world-class skiing and mountain biking areas for SEA’s active clients. SEA’s design features a contemporary aesthetic and is innovative in how it approaches the site’s slope. The home will have interior and exterior spaces centered on bringing people together.

Location
Bend, OR

Size
4,350 sf

Year
Under Construction

The Expanse is a family vacation home that has a direct connection to its surroundings. Strong horizontal lines and a timeless material palette integrate the home into the expansive and rugged high desert landscape.

SEA’s design for the home orients it to maximize panoramic views of the Cascade Mountain Range. Due to the slope of the lot, the home was also sited at a higher elevation to achieve better views. The slope presented SEA with an opportunity to fully embrace the site’s unique character by incorporating a cantilever into the design. The house is conceived as a lightweight glassy structure projecting off a bisecting concrete retaining wall that serves as an anchor extending out into the landscape. The projection is a three-sided glass great room that appears to float over the lower portion of the site.

By floating the great room, SEA reduces the impact of the home’s footprint on the native environment. The cantilever also allows wildlife to pass through and provides a possibility for the residents to witness the activity.