Bison Head House

Owners of this house asked us to give them quality, not quantity, longevity not short-term “resale value”, a house to respect and be part of site(nature) instead of built “on” it and involve art and craft as an integral part of the environment not just as individual elements placed within the confinement of the interior space. Consequentially a fairly compact yet generous house took birth in the meadows of Oak and undulating hills littered with deer paths surrounding the Coralville reservoir.

The first floor mainly is an open public living space and Main bedroom. Spaces are designed to be multi-functional. Heart of the house is an inglenook with seating which at need can convert into two full beds for guests. Dining table, breakfast table and seating and light fixtures for central lighting are all custom designed and built to be part of the architecture. Lower floor contains guest bedrooms and entertainment spaces to play, watch television and listen to music.

Concrete masonry blocks were used instead of stone for its economy and visual order of grid work to create a strong base in contrast to organic elements in the surrounding. Painted Cement board lapped siding and soffits were selected for their conventional aesthetics but enhanced durability.