Nestled into a bluff above the scenic Deschutes River in Central Oregon sits the LEED for Homes Platinum-Certified Live Edge residence, which combines a modern design aesthetic with a Pacific Northwest flare. The home utilizes abundant exterior terraces for outdoor living and is complete with an attached green house. The home was designed to weave around rock outcroppings and ragged juniper trees in the arid open-range environment. The scenic river corridor provided both breathtaking views and difficult challenges that ultimately shaped the design and orientation of the home. Maintaining a lack of visibility from the river was a crucial factor, which kept the design constrained to a single story with a daylight basement. This allowed the plan to take a horizontal orientation, and the home was integrated into the natural landscape around it, meticulously weaving around indigenous trees and rocks so as not to disrupt the natural environment.
“Live Edge” took on its name in many forms - literal and metaphorical. Many live edge wood forms were utilized throughout the home: an indoor bench, an outdoor bench, a desk, the dining table, and a coffee table. In addition to these literal forms, the home itself took on a “live edge” with a site plan that allowed the borders of the home to take on a life of their own, so that the living environment around it could maintain its living, native state. In addition the live edge theme, a chevron motif can be found throughout the home: cut-outs in door panels, etched in glass, metal floor grills, wine cellar cabinetry, the tile backsplash, and even in the natural grain of the staircase wood-wall installation
Sustainable features such as a 22 kW PV system, LED lighting throughout, exterior solar shades (both fixed and operable), PVC-free plumbing, and an electric car charging system integrate modern technology to benefit the environment. The all-electric home has achieved an Energy Performance Score of 0 (zero) as a result of the 21,765 kWh of annual electric generation and an estimated 17,287 kWh of annual electric consumption.
Exterior rigid insulation, fluid applied WRB, triple pane windows (U=0.18) and exceptional craftsmanship create an air and vapor tight home. Lifetime metal roofing and full rain screens behind all siding provide protection from the elements and add longevity to the residence. Natural stone, plaster, and locally-sourced wood complete the exterior, while reclaimed hardwood flooring, local woods and natural stone surfaces are found throughout the interior. With a blower door test of 1.8 ACH @ 50 Pa, the home's warm and inviting interiors are enhanced by exceptional indoor air quality with two Zehnder HRVs and hydronic radiant-heat with a Daikin heat-pump water heater.
Sustainable Design was not limited to the use of renewable materials and environmentallyfriendly systems at Live Edge, but also included Universal Design features. The home’s zerothreshold showers, grab bars in every bathroom, 36” door openings, wash-let toilets, an elevator, and ergonomic door and cabinet hardware will all contribute to the owner’s ability to thrive-in-place. Resiliency played into the design as well, enabling the residents to prepare for the unexpected. The 15 kW Tesla “Power Wall” battery back-up system, amateur radio tower, wood burning fireplace, 1,800-gallon potable water cistern, and attached greenhouse provide a multitude of self-sustaining resources for the occupants.
Live Edge is the exemplification of elegant sustainable design for the Pacific Northwest through the use of local renewable resources, environmentally preferred systems, and durable materials for longevity: Intentionality of the integration of the architecture into the landscape, both physically and aesthetically: and the implementation of universal and resilient design practices to better prepare for the future endurance of the home.
