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This is a lake house, designed by Tom Kundig but built in Northern Idaho. Realizing some of the best aspects of regional Modernism spread out from around Puget Sound. Pop over and see what surprises explode out of the box.

Shoot concrete wall on three sides, while pivot open-giants, garage-style, box-facade window flips open into a nearby lake. Above seem to end up, too, held aloft by a layer of glass that drops in the light with four sides of the roof.

The palette is simple and low-maintenance materials – concrete blocks, steel beams, plywood and glass ceiling too much – but this deployment is truly amazing.

Weather is a fact of life throughout the Northwest, so choose materials that will age well in the natural environment is part of the work in this context – and the characteristics of the works of local architects.

Creative accents abound, from the splash of color to the pipe back to the fireplace, chimney and the two-story staircase. A system of gear-pulley-and vintage-look allows for simple and effective access to the outdoors and natural cooling plus ventilation of the water surface.

Somehow, the house managed to feel contemporary, creative and unique, but also to create a typology comfortable cabin-retreat northwest forest. In short: this is one design that should stand the test of time.

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Description From The Architect:

The idea for the cabin is that of a lakeside shelter in the woods—a little box with a big window that opens to the surrounding landscape. The cabin’s big window-wall (30 feet by 20 feet) opens the entire living space to the forest and lake. Materials are low maintenance—concrete block, steel, concrete floors and plywood—in keeping with the notion of a cabin, and left unfinished to naturally age and acquire a patina that fits in with the natural setting. The cabin sleeps ten.

Interiors by Olson Kundig Architects.