Architecture Wednesday: Modernist Portland Chalet

The Grube Residence could perhaps be overlooked at first glance because of its modest presence, but this Germanic Chalet is an important architectural work to be carefully studied. The home was sited and designed to take full advantage of the beautifully forested, sloped setting while nestling lightly into nature’s envelope of firs and rhododendrons. A founding partner of Portland’s Yost Grube Hall Architecture, Grube designed a handful of homes alone and in collaboration with the acclaimed William Fletcher but this home was designed by Grube as a labor of love for his family and sits in between former partner Richard Campbell and Grube’s 1966 twin-like family homes, creating a triad of architectural wonders in a row.

The home opens skyward with each floor cantilevering out beyond its impressive concrete foundation and is framed by the forest around it. Tongue and groove cedar siding and a metal roof add to its distinctive look and protect the home from the elements. Use of native materials brings the outside in and make this creative retreat cozy, warm and inviting. Clear fir is used extensively throughout on custom windows, casework, built-ins, tray ceiling frames, doors and windows and red oak clads the flooring. Walls of glass flood the home with private forest views and natural light all day and dimmable lighting controls the ambience at night. A custom architectural floating oak stairwell connects the 3 levels.

This home is an inspiring peaceful sanctuary for relishing in natures beauty and life’s richest experiences. A generational work of architecture—designed not only as shelter but as a steward of the natural environment, creating balance and harmony both inside and out.

There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms in just over 2400 square feet in Portland for just $1.3M.

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: California Paradise

This Modernist French Norman Style home sits on a serene forested 1.6-acre site at the end of a small lane in Glendale, California's much desired Chevy Chase Canyon.

The original 1940 French Normandy-style residence was the starting point for a complete renovation and multiple additions that accentuated and celebrated both the existing and new. The home is a composition of planes and volumes, with the monochromatic leafy green facade of the original structure receding into the scenery, while the white stucco and glass of the modern mass provides a seamless connection to the lush landscape.

From the entry courtyard the house opens up to a grand living room with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors, blending into the sun-drenched canyons behind the home. The dining area, with its lowered ceilings and the heated concrete floors throughout, offers an intimate setting within the large space.

From there the house unfolds from public to private. The high-ceilinged kitchen and family area features a pantry and bar, and breakfast area. Cork floors warm the space and complement the woodwork and cabinetry.

A hall powder room and den lead to the private wing where you find a sitting room and library, as well as two bedrooms and a shared bath. Stairs descend to the lower primary level suite, consisting of a walk-through closet and sitting area, and bathroom with a soaking tub, and then to the main suite with views to the gardens.

The gardens are lush and surround the 4,553 square-foot house, as does hundreds of acres of dedicated open space. There are multiple terraces and decks, a citrus and vegetable garden, and the newly renovated plunge pool on the lower level; a permitted ADU was added in 2019.

It’s clean and quiet and green and peaceful; could you ask for more? Well, maybe $4M … because that’s what this home costs.

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: High and Over

This home, High and Over, is England’s first ever Modernist home and was designed by the architect Amyas Connell in the late 1920s. High and Over is a home of both special architectural heritage and a well-serviced space for contemporary living with six bedrooms, restored interiors, 1.7 acres of landscaped gardens and transport links that make central London reachable in 30 minutes.

The house was commissioned by Bernard Ashmore, then a leading figure in archaeology and later a curator of Greek and Roman antiques at the British Museum. The two bonded over their mutual appreciation of both modernist and classical architecture, which they would later subtly blend into the design of High and Over.

Connell combined elements of modernist and classical architecture to create a house with lofty proportions and sleek geometric lines; his Y-shaped plan captured sunlight throughout the day and would earn the house the nickname, ‘The Aeroplane House’ for its propeller-like silhouette.

Like many of its contemporaries, High & Over fell into a state of disrepair as architectural fashions changed. By the 1960s, it had been saved from demolition but split into two separate dwellings, until it was purchased by the current owners who have restored the Modernist property to its former grandeur. Original features have been reinstated, such as the glazed doors and ceiling light boxes in the principal reception rooms, as well as the stunning hexagonal reception hall with a circular gallery above, showcasing the building's geometric elegance.

The ground-floor, AKA the first floor in America, layout seamlessly blends living spaces—Drawing Room, Library, Dining Room—while offering access to the terraces and gardens. A sweeping staircase leads to the upper floors, while an inner hallway provides access to the kitchen and back staircase.

The first floor, or what we call the second floor, features an adaptable combination of bedrooms and utility spaces with the potential for customization. The current arrangement includes five bedrooms, but one of these could be turned into a dressing room or en-suite for the main bedroom. An additional bedroom is accessed via the back staircase.

The top floor, originally comprising bedrooms and a nursery, now houses a study and an additional lounge opening onto a spacious roof terrace, boasting panoramic views of Old Amersham and the Misbourne Valley.

The house is situated in 1.7 acres of its original ‘Roman’ landscaped gardens, with terraces and steps down to a circular swimming pool. There are also swathes of lawn, set around a backdrop of mature trees which enclose the gardens in privacy as well as a detached garage with planning permission to be converted into a self-contained annex, home office or work studio.

It's a sleek, modernist piece of history and can be yours if your offer is £3,000,000, or $3,817,410 USD, or above.

Click to emBIGGERate …

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