Waechter Architecture draws on the rugged landscape and building traditions of the Pacific Northwest to shape a quiet coastal retreat.

Set along Oregon’s northern coast, Dune House by Waechter Architecture responds to its rugged coastal setting with a design that draws from local building traditions while maintaining a distinctly contemporary character.

Entry and Dining Room
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Dune House, South East Corner
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Front Door
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

The house takes the form of a simple box, its exterior wrapped in weathering cedar shingles, a material widely associated with the region’s architecture. The textured, weather-resistant skin contrasts with a restrained interior palette of oak flooring and wall paneling. Minimal detailing and trim reinforce the house’s calm, monolithic character, allowing the materials and proportions of the spaces to take precedence.

Kitchen
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Hallway
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Bedroom Window, Looking West
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

At the center of the plan is a skylit courtyard that doubles as a flexible, multi-purpose space. Two private bedroom suites, a kitchen and dining alcove, and a series of service and support areas are organized around it. This compact arrangement creates a clear separation between private and shared spaces while maintaining visual connections throughout the house.

Bathroom
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Dune House, East Side
Photo credit: Pablo Enriquez

Large framed views from the bedrooms and principal living areas open toward the surrounding coastal dunes. Rather than treating the landscape as a backdrop, the design incorporates these views into the experience of the house, creating spaces intended for rest, reflection, and a close connection with the Oregon coast.

Waechter Architecture

Waechter Architecture is a Pacific Northwest–based, award-winning interdisciplinary design practice with an acclaimed portfolio spanning diverse project types.

Guided by the experiential qualities of the built environment, their work is defined by clear organization, thoughtful integration, economical design, and a refined material palette. They look to the past to inform the future—combining the enduring simplicity of traditional buildings with contemporary systems and material technologies to create architecture that is both highly sustainable and built to last.