Wessels House

Eugene, Oregon

This small guest house was built for an elderly woman who wanted to live near her family. The house is on the edge of a gentle hill in the country west of Eugene.

There are three main rooms with an entry and service edge along the north side. A continuous window wall in the living room opens to spectacular views of the coast range and Fern Ridge Reservoir to the west. French doors connect the living room to a covered porch and elevated deck to the south, where an existing grove of Oregon White Oaks shelters the space and creates a pleasant microclimate.

The more protected bedroom offers framed views to the sunrise and the pastoral meadow to the east. A small spare room between provides a place for a guest or live-in caregiver. Open edges and strongly articulated timber ceilings and eaves connect the rooms to the surrounding landscape.