william / kaven completes 'royal', a remote residence in the forests of the pacific northwest

william / kaven architecture has completed ‘royal’, a remote residence immersed in the forested landscape of the pacific northwest. despite its bucolic setting, the house is located in portland’s forest park neighborhood — just minutes from the city center. the property was designed so that its occupants could live among the tall trees that surround the home. embedded into the natural terrain, the building offers floor-to-ceiling views of the forest, while expansive terraces allow residents to maximize time spent outdoors.

all images by jeremy bittermann / JBSA

the house, which was both designed and developed by william / kaven, sits on one of nine parcels owned by the studio and its associated partners. ‘royal is the first of a series of homes to be nested within an epic location deep in forest park,’ explains william / kaven partner daniel kaven. ‘the thesis of the design was to live among the trees.’ a dramatic foyer with clerestory windows leads into the main living area, which features white oak floors, a dual-fuel hearth, and a spacious kitchen. floor-to-ceiling glass and wall-to-wall sliding doors open to the forestscape, giving way to expansive terraces and unobstructed views.

oriented towards the east, each of the home’s bedrooms are exposed to morning sunlight. throughout the day, the kitchen and living areas are flooded with southern light, while the surrounding canopy of trees perennially exposes the winter sky and tempers the summer sun. the property includes four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, common areas with open floor plans, and an oversized garage. ​the property is currently on the market and is staged with custom-made furniture from the good mod, ​a furniture house in portland specializing in mid-century modern restoration and design.

project info:

name: royal
location: portland, OR, USA
bedrooms: 4
bathrooms: 3.5
lot area: 28,361 sqf / 2,635 sqm
gross building area: 4,352 sqf / 404 sqm
terrace/balcony area: 735 sqf / 68 sqm
completion date: march 2020
asking price: $2,550,000 USD

architect: william / kaven architecture
design team: daniel kaven, (partner-in-charge); trevor william lewis, (partner-in-charge); mike perso, (director of architecture); katy krider, (director of interiors); joel dickson, (project designer); max taschek, (project designer)
photography: jeremy bittermann / JBSA