Designed by Olson Kundig, the particular form of Rimrock ? a T-shaped structure ? responds to the unique topography of the bluff upon which it is situated. At the edge of a cliff, the house straddles two sides of wash atop a stable outcropping of tough, slow-cooled volcanic basalt. The name ?rimrock? refers to this type of geological occurrence, with a sheer rock wall at the upper edge of a plateau or canyon.
Photography: Benjamin Benschneider
The seam below the house is a natural, preexisting path for animals, who use it to move between the mountains and the river. Even though the house is now here, they can still move unimpeded. The sensitive nature of the landscape, as well as it?s unique climatic, solar and seasonal conditions called for careful positioning of the home and consideration of materials.
Raising the 483 m2 house above the wash serves many functions, including preservation of the existing animal path. Knowing that changing wind patterns in the winter can create massive snow drifts, hovering the house above the ground plane allows the use of full-height windows to maximize 180-degree views overlooking Riverside State Park and north Spokane?valley, mountains, forest, river, city?without piles of snow accumulating directly against them. The interior remains open but also protected.
Photography: Kevin Scott / Olson Kundig
The resulting design reverses the typical transparency one might expect in a home with a large amount of glazing. The upper portion of the bu...