2014 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture - The Pierre, Olson Kundig Architects

American studio Olson Kundig Architects has designed a home that looks as if it was born out of the rock which gives it its name: the French word “pierre”.

The volume has been dug out of the rock on the site, and rock is used as a building material in it, both in its rough natural state forming some of the walls of the home and as an inert material in the concrete floor. The stone’s material qualities go perfectly with wood, another key material in the interiors. The dialogue with nature is also underlined by big windows, like the glass and steel sliding doors to the patio outside.

“The Pierre” was awarded a prize in the 2014 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture for its impeccable creation of a continuous interweave between inside and outside, between nature and artefact. As the judges say: “This project is a beautiful design response to a beautiful setting”.

(Christiane Bürklein)

Project: Olson Kundig Architects, http://www.olsonkundigarchitects.com/
Location: San Juan Island, Washington, USA
Engineer - Civil: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
Engineer - Geotechnical: Associated Earth Sciences
Engineer - Structural: MCE Structural Consultants
General Contractor: Schuchart/ Dow
Photo Credit: © Benjamin Benschneider – Courtesy of AIA, www.aia.org

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