Passive solar Nahahum Cabin overlooks dramatic canyon views in the Cascade Mountains

Spectacular canyon views surround the handsome and environmentally sensitive Nahahum Cabin.

Designed by Seattle architecture firm Balance Associates, the two-story holiday home is primarily built of timber and concrete and topped with a metal shed roof. The house is set into a hillside and is designed to optimize solar orientation and panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains in Washington.

Built along an east-west axis, the Nahahum Cabin partially submerges its east end into a slope, while its west end is left exposed and mostly glazed to frame sweeping views of the canyon below. Concrete retaining walls make up the base of the Nahahum Cabin and provide a beautiful contrast to the horizontal strips of timber and metal that mostly clad the second level. Large overhangs and full-height glazing on the north and south walls wrap around the cabin’s ground floor living room to take advantage of solar orientation and dramatic views.

Designed for a family of four with room for expansion, the house comprises two main areas: the ground level with an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and lounge; and the split-level upper level that comprises two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a convertible loft. Poured concrete floors are complemented by light wood cladding and whitewashed walls. In addition to passive solar heating, the home is kept warm with underfloor heating and a wood-burning stove.