This Pacific Northwest Farmhouse Took Five Years, a Drone Study, and a Two-Week Sourcing Trip to France to Get Right

"Using drone surveys to map the forest canopy, the team tested how views might shift if certain trees were felled, inching toward a location that felt both deliberate and deferential to the land. It took us a while to figure out where the house should go."

"The clients were definitely on 'Team Simplicity,' favoring a 'less is more' approach. It's a big, sturdy, simple house without a lot of trickery-it's fairly analog. That kind of simplicity often requires a surprising amount of intention-and legwork."

"The program called for a main residence, a poolhouse, and a barn, along with independent energy systems and dedicated areas for growing food. The clients arrived with a clear vision: a farmhouse that felt native to the Pacific Northwest, with interiors meant to be durable, straightforward, and geared toward a largely self-sufficient way of life."

Jessica Helgerson and Yianni Doulis collaborated on a family compound outside Portland, Oregon, taking five years to complete the project. The 50-acre site, previously logged and undeveloped, required extensive planning using drone surveys to map the forest canopy and determine optimal building placement. The clients sought a farmhouse aesthetic native to the Pacific Northwest with durable, straightforward interiors supporting a largely self-sufficient lifestyle. The program included a main residence of 10,000 square feet with five bedrooms, a poolhouse, and a barn, along with independent energy systems and food-growing areas. The design philosophy emphasized simplicity and analog living without unnecessary complexity, requiring intentional material and spatial choices to create warmth and depth.

Read at Architectural Digest