Located on acreage in rural Iowa, the Ravine House draws its inspiration from the topography and vegetation of its forested site to create an experience of living within the landscape. Its primary gesture, a transparent social space elevated in the tree canopy, bridges the ravine below, preserving this natural site feature and creating a strong datum that accentuates the topography. This social space serves as the core of the house, connecting the entry sequence on the west to the bedrooms on the opposite bank. As the house wraps through the undulating site, it presents a collection of carefully curated experiences a family engages in a mutable dialog between house and site.

Jury Notes: The jury spent much time debating the risk and reward of black and white photographic submission. In the end, the simple modern details, the clarity of the plan and the relationship of the home to its landscape is made richer through the compositions captured by the photographer.