Situated in the remote (and extremely windy) landscape of Idaho’s desert, Outpost House is a compact living and working space for an artist, complete with a fully enclosed sculpture garden. In this harsh climate, the concrete façade creates a sense of strength and security, and the small footprint of the building combined with the interesting configuration of windows blurs the boundaries between inside and outside perfectly.
The architect, Olson Kundig, has described this building as like a ‘tootsie roll’ – in other words, it’s hard on the outside and soft on the inside. The robust and thick masonry walls which envelop the house and garden seem a world away from the warm and welcoming interior. Inside, you’ll find recycled fir floors and walls, with cabinets also made from unfinished wood. The plaster within was developed from natural clays and pigments, ensuring that the building feels linked with its surroundings – even during the extreme seasons of summer and winter.
The inside space revolves around one single double-height room, which acts as a living area and studio for the owner. There’s a mezzanine bedroom offering some privacy, which is essential when you consider that the living space is encircled entirely by one glazed opening, offering spectacular views of the sparse desert environment and the distant Sawtooth Mountains.
