When presented with a plot of land and asked to design a modern home as close to the river as possible, architect Paul Hirzel went above and beyond both the call of duty and the waterway itself with this totally far-out cantilevered dwelling. Built for winemakers near Juliaetta, Idaho, on land that once held a pioneer-era vineyard, River Place is bolted into thick concrete piers without any site welding and, as a result, the entire structure—save for the underpinning columns—can be disassembled without fuss. Not that its owners foresee any reason to break camp, as both the main home and the upriver wine-tasting venue are situated above the 500-year flood level of the Potlatch River, and their elevation even discourages the nesting of local rattlesnakes.
River Place also has its less dramatic perks, like the cooling factor of rushing water underfoot, the relaxing ambient noise, and proximity to a rare Steelhead spawning pool. In addition to the main suite, the downstream section also houses a guest wing and a shared living space, modularly separated into what Hirzel modestly refers to as "three refrigerators setting on a bridge," with "tough and utilitarian" interiors of locally sourced pine. The galvanized steel scaffolding framing these structures, so striking to see out in nature all minimal and industrially inspired, also kept construction costs kept to a minimum, at $118 a square foot for the living quarters and $147 a square foot for the event space.
There may be more breathtakingly situated cantilevered homes out there, but how many can boast porchside fishing?
—Spencer Peterson
· River Place / Paul F. Hirzel [Arch Daily]
· Loft-Like Cantilever Modern Enjoys Breathtaking PNW Vistas [Curbed National]