Confluence House

LOCATION
Flathead Valley, MT

RECOGNITION
Dwell
Architect Magazine
Dezeen
Design Milk
World-Architects

The residence is sited on a remote parcel of land in the Flathead Valley, high on a bluff at the confluence of two rivers. Taking its primary design cue from this confluence, the main house and guest cabin are organized along the blufflines, intersecting at a covered outdoor terrace — where, like the joining of two rivers, guests and owners meet to socialize. From this vantage point, the view toward the river basin is lush and dynamic, while the distant mountains form a dramatic Montana backdrop.

The flat-roofed design allows the building to disappear into a horizontal continuum of the grassed prairie site. The main home, consisting of all the usual living spaces plus a study, piano room, large mudroom and pantry, and well-appointed master suite is a model of efficient space planning; there are no hallways, allowing the structure to weigh in at a mere 2,000 sq. ft. The guest house, an 850 sq. ft. separate structure along the east bluff line, contains two master suites that can be adjoined, and a second study/exercise room, connected at the east end. Reminiscent of old railway maintenance structures in the region, the garage/woodshop is used as a simple screening element from the distant roadway.