CHALLENGE

Create a contemporary residence in the Boise foothills that is Modern but livable. This hillside home has a 50’ drop from front to back of the yard. Integrate the home into an existing, 25 year old neighborhood. Create outdoor living areas for the family to enjoy the long summer evenings. The north-slope orientation of the home needs to be addressed.

SOLUTION

We decided to work with the terrain, and not against it. The home is held down below the level of the street, and steps down to the back yard. Ample deck space is placed on the view side of the home in between the living levels, and the rear yard. Clerestory windows were placed on the Southern elevation. Simple, mono-pitched roofs cover the home, and it is finished with tongue and groove siding, and stucco.

RESULT

We have created an easy-living, contemporary home that is both interesting to live in and look at. By stepping down with the terrain, the home is held below the site lines of the road. This allows the neighborhood to enjoy the existing view, reduce construction costs AND provide visual privacy for the family.
Deck space creates a living area off of the main levels, since the rear yard is 25 feet lower than the living room. Wide, open views can be seen to the North, and Northwest.
Clerestory windows help to bring the southern light deep into the home. Being placed on a northern slope can be difficult, so these upper windows go a long way towards solving this problem by keeping a connection with views of the sun-filled sky.
The mono-pitched roofs provide a contemporary and sleek style. The stucco is easy to maintain, while including the wood siding helps to warm up the exterior.
The interior features warm, light-filled spaces. A small Zen garden is placed directly off of the master bedroom. An open plan is great for entertaining. Modern homes can be cold, but through the use of textures, materials, and volumes, we have created not a house, but a home.

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