Eola Hills Residence is a project designed by Ueda Studio. The home’s location, atop the Eola hills near Salem, Oregon, boasts views of mountains and the city of Salem to the east, and rolling hills and wine country to the west. When low clouds descend over the valley in the morning, the house appears to be on top of the world. The client’s brief was simple, create a comfortable home for their family (a couple with two young children and two German Shepherds), that takes advantage of the site’s spectacular views and that serves as refuge from work life—a home that balance a sense of retreat with functionality and durability. Photography by Kevin Scott.

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Accessed via a mile-long winding driveway with fleeting views to mountains, hills, and the house emerging at each turn, the sequence conjures the qualities of an approach to a traditional Japanese tea house. Upon arrival, a garden featuring a water fountain made of local boulders formally signals the shift from work life to family life.