Project 01 · New house

Meadow House

A single-storey glass house lifted just above the grass, so the meadow runs underneath it. One long room for living, two bedrooms at the quiet end, and a deep porch that faces the evening sun.

Place: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Type: New house
Area: [000] m²
Year: 2026
Status: Completed

A white steel-framed glass house raised above a meadow of long grass — Fig. 01 Meadow House, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Site

The site is a hay meadow at the edge of the valley floor, wet every spring. Instead of draining it, we lifted the house a meter above the grass on slim steel columns, so the water and the meadow keep running underneath.

A living room with floor-to-ceiling windows framing bare trees — Fig. 02 The living room, looking out over the meadow

ii.

Plan

One long room holds the kitchen, dining and living spaces, with the two bedrooms and the bath at the quiet east end. Every room opens to the porch, and no room is more than four meters from a window.

Fig. 03 Plan, 1:200

iii.

Light

The roof overhang is sized for the latitude. In summer it shades all the glass at noon; in winter the low sun reaches deep into the room and warms the concrete floor.

Noon sun in

Fig. 04 Section A–A at noon, 45.5° N

iv.

Materials

Four materials, chosen to be repaired rather than replaced.

Douglas firFrame, ceilings and the porch deck
Board-formed concreteThe kitchen and bath cores, and the floor
Lime plasterInside walls, breathable and easy to patch
Low-iron glassThe long south and west walls

Fig. 05 A pale timber sunroom with a sofa and a dining table, glass walls on two sides

Fig. 06 Two wooden lounge chairs in a cream room lit by low, warm sunlight

Credits

Architects: Thorne Whitlock Architects
Project lead: [Partner name]
Structural engineer: [Firm]
Builder: [Firm]
Photography: [Photographer]

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