The Pierre, San Juan Islands in United States

January 06, 2011 Category: House, Residential

Located in United States, The Pierre, San Juan Islands was designed by Olson Kundig Architects. With the exception of a guest suite, the Pierre functions on one main level, with an open plan kitchen, dining and living space. A large pivoting steel and glass door opens for access to an outdoor terrace. To set the house deep into the site, portions of the rock outcropping were excavated through machine work and handwork.

Excavated rock was re-used as crushed aggregate in the concrete flooring. Excavation marks were left exposed on all the stonework, a reminder of the building process. Throughout the house, the rock extrudes into the space, contrasting with the luxurious textures of the furnishings. Interior and exterior fireplace hearths are carved out of existing stone; leveled on top, they are otherwise left raw. The master bathroom’s sink is composed of water cascading through three polished pools in the existing stone. Both the entry sequence and a powder room are fully carved out of the rock.

The Pierre, San Juan Islands design by Olson Kundig Architects