Oregon Beach House
This Pacific City beach house takes cues from the modest, single-story buildings that mark the Oregon coast, including midcentury modern cabins shaped by weather, material, and restraint. Clad in cedar left to age naturally, these precedents value durability and simplicity in response to the coastal climate.
The project replaces a seventy-year-old structure that had been moved to the site decades earlier and was no longer viable. On a narrow lot framed by neighboring houses, the design balances privacy with a clear view toward the sea stack offshore.
Longtime visitors to Pacific City, the owners sought a light, open retreat distinct from their traditional Craftsman home in Portland. Modern in form and grounded in natural materials, the house offers a setting for gathering that reflects the colors and atmosphere of the beach.
The house is raised two and a half feet above the original grade to reduce exposure to blowing sand. An outdoor shower is located adjacent to surfboard storage, and a small guest house completes a sheltered courtyard that provides relief from persistent coastal winds.