This week’s Cedar Book project shines a spotlight on age-in-place solutions that offer independence and community at the same time.

Photos: David Papazian

Built for a retired father to age in place, Casa de Dos Montañas balances independence with proximity—private enough to feel like its own home, close enough to remain woven into daily family life. The site is tucked in the rural hills of West Linn, Oregon. It’s the same land where he raised his family, beside the main home he built himself—ergo, this was never going to be just another granny pod. It called for the expertise and creative ingenuity of an established team. That’s where Giulietti Schouten Weber (GSW) Architects came in.

“This was a complete tear-down of an existing shop and barn,” says principal architect Tim Schouten, AIA, “and completely reborn into a modern in-home office and garages at the main level, with a guest house and pool room above.”

Connecting to family and the land

The resulting structure layers function and form with clarity. A concrete and stucco base anchors the lower level, housing the garage and office. Above, a beautiful cedar-clad volume capped with a dramatic butterfly roof contains the main living spaces with floor-to-ceiling glass offering stunning mountain and forest views.

Connecting to the landscape was a requirement from the onset. And that’s where Western Red Cedar came in. Used across the exterior and carried through select interior walls and soffi ts, the material adds richness and texture to the otherwise clean, minimalist lines. A deliberate mix of clear and knotty grades creates subtle variation and visual movement, giving the façade a refi ned but organic feel.

“It seemed like a natural choice for the site,” says Schouten. “We wanted a Northwest material that felt warm but still modern. It complements the beams, the concrete base, and the dark metal windows and trim.”

To support a softer, more natural patina over time, the team used a pre-aging wood treatment in place of conventional stain—allowing the cedar to weather gracefully for this family to enjoy for even more generations to come.

Real Cedar Specifications

GRADE – KD Select Knotty & ‘A’ Clear

SIZE – 1×5 & 1x 4 fineline

FASTENING – Stainless steel

WESTERN CEDAR SUPPLIER Lakeside Lumber

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Download the digital edition or order a free hard copy of Cedar Book XVIII to explore the latest in contemporary wood design.