Cheryl Heinrichs Architecture

  • Environmentally friendly, contemporary home design exterior
  • Environmentally friendly, contemporary home design - Entry
  • Environmentally friendly, contemporary home design - Pop-out & dry creek bed from the loft
  • Environmentally friendly, contemporary home design - Stairs to Loft
  • Environmentally friendly, contemporary home design - Stair Detail
  • This striking, warm contemporary home design started with substance and culminated in an abundance of style.

    ”Cheryl’s enthusiasm was evident during the entire design process. Her knowledge of energy efficient, environmentally friendly alternatives was invaluable. Cheryl was able to listen to all of our ideas and think outside the box to create a very unique home that is proving to be everything we hoped it would be.”

    Prompted by a shared love of wood, this couple knew they wanted a recycled timber frame home. Beyond that, they wanted it to be as environmentally friendly as possible, which made energy efficiency a top priority.

    That’s where Cheryl Heinrichs Architecture came in.

    We recommended building part of the home from Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) and wrapping the timber frame in Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs). We also suggested energy-efficient radiant heat under stained concrete floors to maintain cozy temperatures, especially in the big, open rooms with vaulted ceilings. Adding an air filtration system ensured excellent indoor air quality.

    Next, we turned to aesthetics. The owners wanted a contemporary home design, but a straightforward design wouldn’t do. They were drawn to amusing angles and creative details.

    We incorporated numerous slants, slopes & turns to animate this contemporary home design. Pop-outs, pop-ups and a daring, “twisted” roofline provide an unpredictable quality. A syncopated window placement adds whimsy while expertly framing the mountain views and bringing in natural light. Creative touches abound, including an indoor dry creek bed, in-floor glass block skylights, a slanted wall, and metal stairs cantilevered off an I-beam.

    This imaginative contemporary home design combines environmentally friendly materials and energy efficient systems in an artistic expression of this family’s values.

    Read The Bulletin article featuring this “Twisted” home.

  • Sustainable Features

    Energy Efficiency:
    Sun-tempered
    Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) walls and roof
    Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) walls
    High performance Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified wood windows and exterior doors
    Solar thermal ready
    In-floor radiant heat
    Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) provides fresh air
    Natural cooling (using high mass walls & floor and operable windows)
    Excellent naturally lighting
    Excellent natural ventilation
    Energy Star rated appliances
    Energy efficient lighting
    Minimal air infiltration
    Partially buried (reducing heating and cooling loads)
    No skylights
    Heating system is located inside the insulated envelope

    Health:
    Minimal carpeting
    Marmoleum flooring (with non-toxic finish)
    Fireplace is vented to the outside
    Garage is separatated from the main house
    Whole house vacuum system

    Land:
    Very little land was disrupted in the construction process
    No trees were removed
    Local rock was used for all site walls
    Xeriscape, native, desert landscaping

    Materials:
    Recycled timber framing
    Stucco with lime wash finish (natural & non-toxic)
    Recycled content metal roofing and siding
    Cork flooring with non-toxic finish
    Recycled content, blown-in cellulose insulation
    Natural plastered walls (without a finish)
    All cabinets and trim boards are finished with non-toxic, hand applied oil
    Many sub-materials used as finish products, eliminating a second finish product
    Many long lasting, zero maintenance products

    Water:
    Water efficient appliances
    Low-flow plumbing fixtures

a mind for building, an eye for beauty

Olympia, Washington·360-350-0628·Bend, Oregon·541-382-8914·Contact Us