Chewuch River Cabin Winthrop, Washington State residence, WA modern home images, North American house

Chewuch River Cabin in Winthrop, Washington

May 17, 2024

Architect: Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects

Location: Winthrop, Washington, United States

photo © Eirik Johnson

Photos by Eirik Johnson, Kes Efstathiou

Chewuch River Cabin, WA

Perched atop a steep river bank, the Chewuch Cabin offers equal amounts of shelter from and exposure to north-central Washington’s rugged beauty. A high, linear roof gestures emphatically toward the river and foothills beyond, forming a primary axis. A low, rectilinear form intersects, creating a distinctive cruciform plan that informs all design moves in this small, superbly crafted home.

photo © Eirik Johnson

The high-ceilinged volume contains interior kitchen, living and dining spaces as well a separate, single-car garage and intervening outdoor room. The lower-roofed volume contains bedroom, utility, and office spaces. Material choices distinguish the intersecting forms.

photos © Eirik Johnson

The primary axis, clad in a combination of distressed wood siding and dark bronze composite, uses exposed glulam beams with tapered ends to accentuate its directionality, culminating in a glass-walled living room overlooking the river.

photos © Kes Efstathiou

The low-lying bedroom wings are clad in pre-weathered corrugated steel, with strategically placed windows and doors framing views. At the interior, low ceilings are finished with plywood, while high ceilings continue the exposed beams and decking of the exterior soffits. Concrete floors, plywood walls and ceilings, and dark steel backsplashes at the interior give the cabin an industrial edge.

photo © Kes Efstathiou

At the center of the cruciform plan is the kitchen, much of which is freestanding, allowing circulation to flow through and around it. Dark, leathered granite countertops give a crispness to salvaged wood cabinets, which are cleverly positioned to create a room divider and storage at the living room.

photos © Eirik Johnson

The home is thoughtfully sited, with passive solar strategies in mind. With only one mature tree on the site, shaded areas were a design priority. Above the outdoor room, exposed glulam beams support retractable awnings, maximizing flexibility and providing additional shade and cooling to the rest of the home.

photos © Eirik Johnson

Overhangs help mitigate intense summer sun and protect walkways from winter snow. The high eave extends out to shade the riverside deck off the living room and an extended rake shelters the walkway to the home’s entrance.

photo © Eirik Johnson

Chewuch River Cabin, Winthrop, Washington State – Property Information

Architect: Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects – https://pbwarchitects.com/

Project size: 1470 ft2
Completion date: 2022

– Tom Lenchek, Principal Architect
– Shawn Kemna, Project Architect
– Morgan Law, Project Architect
Contractor: Lost River Construction
Landscape: Windy Valley Landscaping

photo © Kes Efstathiou

Photography: Eirik Johnson, Kes Efstathiou

Chewuch River Cabin, Winthrop, Washington images / information received 170524

Location: Winthrop, Washington, United States of America

Washington Architecture

Washington Architectural Projects – architectural selection from e-architect below:

Big Pine Retreat, Mazama, Methow Valley
Design: Prentiss + Balance + Wickline

photography : Eirik Johnson
Residence in Mazama, WA

Bailer Hill Residence, Friday Harbor, Washington, USA
Architects: Prentiss + Balance + Wickline

photography : Eirik Johnson
Residence at Friday Harbor