Oblique

As if carved from a single block of cedar, the faceted pair of townhouses are made distinct through a series of geometric sleights of hand. Slipping one past the other, an unorthodox offset creates two reciprocal, lushly planted outdoor ‘rooms’ in front and back. A thickened party wall—expressed as a notch where the buildings lightly touch—conceals plentiful built-in storage and utility spaces, a critical acoustic decoupling, and allows for an unusually generous south-facing window wall.

Upper decks, like the hollows of a tree, offer territorial views shrouded from the sidewalk below. The cascading steps of the front porch, paired with a dramatically cantilevered soffit above welcome visitors in—a nod to Portland’s bungalow vernacular. At the foyer, this compression gives way to the first glimpse of a gossamer stair, suspended from the roof above and threading all three levels in a continuous volume washed in light.