The Rimrock House Stands Between A Mountain And A River

By Simona Ganea | Last updated on May 21, 2018

Some of the most impressive and memorable projects are those that manage to find the right balance between natural and artificial, between what’s man-made and what we take for granted from Mother Nature. One such project is the Rimrock residence designed by the architects at Olson Kundig. It’s an amazing house that was built in 2014 on a bluff surrounded by the forest in Spokane, US. The design and the structure of the building respond to the topography of the land. The site is in the close proximity of a river, right in the path followed by the animals when they descent from the mountain towards the river.

The T shape was mainly dictated by the environment, the available space and the desire to preserve the land

The house sits on a bluff and gets to enjoy amazing views of the valley that unfolds right in front of it

The weathering steel exterior ages beautifully with time and gives the house a lot of character

There's a striking contrast between the transparent ground floor and the closed off upper level which is partially cantilevered — There’s a striking contrast between the transparent ground floor and the closed off upper level which is partially cantilevered

The house stays clear of this path and features a T-shaped structure which is partially raised and cantilevered, forming a bridge and offering some amazing views over Riverside State Park, the valley, the mountain, the forest, the river and the city in the distance. These views can best be enjoyed from the ground floor which, unusually, is the transparent one while the upper level is closed and more private. The materials used are chosen with regards to the harsh environmental conditions. The exterior is clad in steel which weather naturally allowing the house to become rooted to the land in a great way.

Full-height windows form the glazed facade of the lower level which let in panoramic views of the surroundings

There's a close and very special relationship between the house and its immediate surroundings — There’s a close and very special relationship between the house and its immediate surroundings

All the windows have automatic exterior shades which offer increased privacy and protection against powerful storms

The distribution of the functions inside the house is very clear and organized in a practical manner

The ground floor houses the social, communal areas such as the kitchen, the dining room and the living area

Floor-to-ceiling windows allow 180 degree views over the forest, the mountain and the city to be enjoyed from the living room

The lower level is very open and transparent compared to the closed and intimate upper floor which contains the sleeping areas

The kitchen is part of the open floor plan but manages to maintain an autonomous nature through an L-shaped counter

The kitchen is actually not as open as expected, not just because of the counter but also because of the overall layout