Flood Plain House On The Potlatch River, Idaho

Paul Hirzel Architect firm got a task to construct the Flood Plain House right on the banks of the Potlatch River in Idaho. The location was carefully chosen. It preserves the hillside vineyard right next to it and protects the house from floods and snakes.

It’s elevated 12 feet off the ground and is supported by an 186 foot Howe truss standing on 4 concrete piers. As for the exterior, they went with steel truss frames. This reduced the construction cost and created a solution for easy maintenance.

The Flood Plain House is right next to the Potlatch River on one side, and a vineyard hillside on the other.

The house has three wings- bedroom wing, guest wing and the third, where the dining, kitchen and living room are.

The house has a nice cantilever wooden deck over the water. There’s also an additional extension south of the house where the bedrooms are. The spiral staircase can take you to the wooden roof deck that covers the entire house. It also contributes to natural cooling, this is perfect because when it’s hot, it reduces the air conditioning costs.

The hallway connects the wings, provides residents with a great view, and lets natural light come in.

The staircase leads to the roof. Wooden roof is a great place for chilling in the summer and it contributes to the natural cooling of the house.

Let’s talk about the interior. The long hallway connects different parts of the house – bedroom wing, guest wing and living, dining, and kitchen area. The kitchen uses a lot of wood, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. It’s connected to the living and dining room, both in the same style.

The kitchen.

The kitchen uses a lot of wooden elements.

Next to the house is another structure- a small fishing house.