US architecture firm William Kaven Architecture has recently completed “Royal”, a remote residence nestled in the Forest Park, an urban forest with hiking trails, near downtown Portland.
“Royal is the first of a series of homes to be nested within an epic location deep in Forest Park,” William Kaven partner Daniel Kaven said. “The thesis of the design was to live among the trees.”
Floor-to-ceiling glass and wall-to-wall sliding doors seamlessly extend living into the forestscape, giving way to expansive terraces and unobstructed views of the natural flora cascading down to the valley floor. On the residence’s all-black front, an attached garage unit is fronted with glazed doors and a grouping of clerestory windows run along the top of the one-and-half-story foyer. Inside, the entry hall opens up to the main living area featuring white oak floors with walnut border inlays. Large windows and sliding glass doors in the room flood light into the interiors and provide views of the natural landscape.
Royal is a rare gem set into forested acreage less than 500 feet from the renowned Wildwood Trail, boasting sweeping exterior terraces and balconies overlooking a lush wooded expanse. The home, which was both designed and developed by William / Kaven Architecture, sits on one of nine parcels owned by the studio and associated partners.
Located within minutes of downtown Portland, this intelligently designed modern dwelling cantilevers far above the forest floor among reaches of Douglas fir and vine maple. The property is encircled by a vast network of hiking trails. Morning rays reach into all bedrooms, which are carefully oriented to optimize eastern exposure. Throughout the day, kitchen and living areas are flooded with southern light, while the deciduous canopy perennially exposes the diffuse winter sky and tempers the hot summer sun. On warm nights, slide open the 13’ pocketed wall off the kitchen and dine beside a Juliet balcony overlooking dense greenery and deep ravines. Or, on winter nights, huddle beside the central hearth.
