Gates Residence | Skylab

The Gates Residence is a replacement dwelling located East of Gates, Oregon, along the bank of the Santiam River. The new residence sits atop a steep bluff that juts out into the river with rapids to the East and a calm eddy primed for fishing to the West. The new dwelling replaces a long-standing family cabin that burned down in a forest fire along with a significant amount of native vegetation on the property. The unique challenge in designing the house was how best to locate it on site to take advantage of newly created river views and access while creating a comfortable level of privacy for the residents now that most of the trees and ground cover have been lost in the fire. The project’s design was also heavily driven by the use of Mass Ply panels (MPP) as the primary building material, serving as the structure, interior walls, and ceilings. The design team utilized the unique capabilities of the Mass Ply to curate solids and voids in the structure to strike a balance between visibility and privacy. Keeping the Mass Ply finish and joinery exposed was high priority for the clients, and to achieve this, the design team utilized a raised access floor and selective light timber framing to distribute systems throughout the house, creating visually minimal spaces that showcase the MPP’s beauty and versatility. The family looks forward to having a new house to gather, relax, and once again have a connection to nature and the river.