Wall House

The site is located on an active alluvial fan constrained both by debris flow and avalanche hazards. The design integrates a required fourteen-foot-high debris/avalanche wall and minimizes its height by working in conjunction with excavation; the negative space and wall act together.

Embracing the constraint, the wall is interpreted as a ‘living wall’ with space inside and on top of the wall, which also holds sculptural living pavilions oriented to sun and views.

The wall, executed in poured-in-place concrete, hints at its geological origins as it emerges from the earth. The pavilions are simple forms, executed in zinc, that contrast with the inherent complexities of the site. A circulation gallery accommodates the steep topography, allowing the pavilions to step independently in response to the fifty feet of grade change.