Tumalo Creek Residence

Living within the high desert landscape

The Tumalo Creek Residence is influenced by Central Oregon’s high desert landscape and rich agrarian history. The house’s simple form and thoughtful placement within the site immerses it within the terrain and maximizes views of the Cascade mountains. The architecture emphasizes details and a sense of place through a limited palette of natural and local materials like concrete, wood, metal, and glass. Select structural elements are left exposed and surfaces will weather gracefully over time, cultivating a warm, lived-in quality to each space's feeling. The home’s transparency seamlessly connects the interior with the exterior, capturing the essence of living on this land that the clients love most.

Location
Bend, OR

Size
3,000 sf

Year
Estimated Spring 2026

Scott Edwards Architecture’s clients lead an active lifestyle, and now as they enter retirement, are eager to enjoy all that Bend, Oregon has to offer. The proximity of the Tumalo Creek Residence to a protected nature reserve ensures that they can easily access outdoor recreation through nearby paths and trails. This closeness to the desert landscape also provides an opportunity to invite nature into their daily lives, a primary intention.

The client desires to feel as though they’re living within the landscape, not just bordering it. The architecture responds by echoing the expansive desert horizon line in the house’s low, linear form and flat roofs. The transparency from the entry to the home through to the other side offers a glimpse of the mountains beyond, blending the house and land into a simultaneous visual experience.

The purposeful footprint leaves space around the Tumalo Creek Residence for abundant plantings native to this region. The living spaces and guest bedrooms are placed on the first level and the primary suite occupies a smaller volume on the second level. The living spaces—kitchen, dining, and living room—are open-concept and transition seamlessly to a generously sized four-season outdoor patio. High ceilings, ample natural light, and clear sight lines outward create a comfortable place to spend time, whether in quiet reflection or entertaining family and friends.

The house’s materiality is authentic to Central Oregon’s agrarian past and present. Materials are simple, hardworking, and of the land. A board-formed concrete wall runs the length of the home’s front elevation, serving as a solid and consistent presence. Metal, cedar siding, and exposed beams are expressive of traditional agricultural buildings but applied with a modern, timeless sensibility. The interior applies straightforward, natural materials as well; a straightforward backdrop that encourages attention outward to the desert and mountain views.