With the help of some dynamite, chippers, and saws, Seattle-based firm Olson Kundig Architects—responsible for moody, minimalist retreats and fabulous rainbow churches, alike—carved away quite the dramatic spot on one of the San Juan Islands for the glassy, modern Pierre. With its grassy roof and bare concrete siding, the single-story, 2,500 square-foot sprawl, completed in 2010 and recently given an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects, sort of looks like a left-behind bunker, and "putting the house in the rock follows a tradition of building on the least productive part of a site," says architect Tom Kundig, "leaving the best parts free for cultivation."
Inside, the naturalistic theme continues, with expansive floor-to-ceiling views, exposed rock—though not in the cartoony, Flinstones-esque way that remains inexplicably popular—and cave-like hideaways that add an element of surprise to the otherwise sleek interiors. Interior and exterior fireplace hearths, for example, were carved from existing stone and left jagged and unfinished, as was one very cool cave-like powder room. Even the sink in the master bedroom forms a mini waterfall. Have a look:
· Concrete house by Olson Kundig Architects cuts into a rocky outcrop [Dezeen]
· The Pierre / Olson Kundig Architects [Arch Daily]
· All Olson Kundig coverage [Curbed National]
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