CHALLANGE
CHALLENGE This project is located on a compact infill parcel in Eagle, Idaho, where the client sought to build a modestly sized home that could still support a rich, comfortable lifestyle. With limited lot area and close proximity to neighboring properties, the primary challenge was to avoid a sense of crowding or compromise. The home needed to feel open and generous despite its footprint, provide privacy from adjacent homes, and create meaningful outdoor living without relying on excess square footage.
SOLUTION
We organized the home around a carefully scaled backyard courtyard, using the pool and outdoor living areas as a spatial extension of the interior. Rather than treating the exterior as leftover space, the courtyard became a primary room of the house, shaping the plan, orientation, and window placement. This approach allows the home to turn inward, framing views of the water, landscape, and sky while screening less desirable surroundings.
The architecture is composed of clean, contemporary forms with restrained detailing and durable materials. Low-sloped roofs and simple massing help maintain a low profile within the neighborhood while creating opportunities for clerestory windows that bring daylight deep into the interior. Large sliding doors and generous glazing dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the living, dining, and kitchen spaces to open directly to the pool terrace.
Interior spaces are compact but deliberate, with efficient circulation and strong visual connections across the plan. Ceiling heights, daylight, and long sightlines are used strategically to amplify the perception of space. The pool and courtyard provide seasonal flexibility, supporting daily living, entertaining, and quiet retreat within a private, controlled outdoor environment.
RESULT The Eagle Infill Courtyard Residence demonstrates how a small home can live well beyond its footprint through thoughtful planning and strong indoor/outdoor relationships. By using the backyard pool and courtyard as integral architectural elements, the design delivers privacy, openness, and livability on a constrained site. The result is a refined, efficient home that feels expansive, calm, and well suited to infill living in a growing community.