West Bar House

Perched on a high bank of the Columbia River, the design for the West Bar house relies on extensive concrete piles to anchor into the steep slope with outbound steel framing creating a super structure extending from baseplate at grade to the roof support.  Elevating allowed for minimal construction impact on the sensitive and steep slope, with all building components set by crane from the access above the site.  Utility infrastructure is run in a steel pipe umbilical to a mechanical room at the lower level and steel bar grate forms the driveway, pedestrian entry, and decks further minimizing the site impact.  All steel and wood building components for this project were prefabricated and welded in a controlled facility allowing for only bolted steel in the field resulting in minimizing site labor. 

The building massing focuses on maintaining privacy on three sides of the project with the expansive views to the river and ancient canyon landscape beyond dramatically revealed through an entry sequence traveling over bar grate and through a narrow entry threshold.  

The material palette of weathered steel structure, siding, and roofing, honed concrete floors and stained wood ceiling and walls is derived from the raw nature of the site.    

Program: Single Family Residence
Location: Crescent Bar, WA
Size: 3,200 sf
Status: Under Construction