In architecture and construction, it’s rare to get an opportunity for unfettered creativity and a design process that is unconstrained by the client preferences or budgets.
When one of those projects comes along, it’s something truly special – a chance to collaborate, to innovate and to push the boundaries of architecture and design.
So when we were approached by Allen Design Group to help with their submission for the Home Building Association of Greater Portland’s NW Natural Street of Dreams project, we knew a special collaboration was on the cards. Let’s take a look at how we worked together to bring their vision to life with bronze…
Street of Dreams
Established in 1975, Street of Dreams is a signature summer event in the Pacific Northwest featuring leading professionals in construction, architecture, interior design and landscaping, each producing a show home on the same street. The finished homes are then opened to realtors, industry professionals and the general public in a stunning showcase of aspirational design and quality construction.
Featuring five flagship homes located in the exclusive neighborhood of Denali Summit in Sherwood, Oregon, the site for Allen Group’s Street of Dreams project is nestled in the grounds of a vineyard, offering astonishing views of Mount Hood.
This distinctive landscape was the ultimate inspiration for the design of Nancy Allen’s home, which features classic vernacular features including chunky fir beams, timber floors, a utilitarian metal-clad chimney breast and most importantly, a huge number of large windows that give the property panoramic views over the surrounding countryside while flooding the interior with natural light – a must in Oregon’s famously cloudy climate.
Cocooned by nature
The vision was to create a stylish, open plan family home where the occupants can come together for entertaining and quality time, but equally find space for solitude and self-care, all whilst feeling cocooned in the majesty of the Oregon landscape – and the solid bronze windows and doors were central to achieving this aim.
As well as a series of huge windows with our signature charcoal patina and slender muntin bars to frame the views, we produced a large number of doors for the property, which offers access onto the enormous wraparound balcony and terrace from various points in the interior. To maximize the light, each door was topped with a large transom, allowing floor-to-ceiling views.
Bespoke design
Without doubt, the statement feature of the house is the innovative pivot door with an industrial-style hand crank that allows the entire assembly to be lifted up, forming a glass awning that opens onto the balcony with its BBQ area and deluxe hot tub below.
This aspect of the design was completely custom designed and was the first time we’ve ever manufactured a system like this – we worked very closely with the designers to understand their vision and drew on every shred of our manufacturing expertise to ensure the finished door was not just visually striking but also supremely functional and practical for modern living, with a smooth opening and closing mechanism requiring minimal effort, and a carefully thought-out waterproofing system.
The result is a unique design feature that enhances both the aesthetics and the versatility of the living space – the door is always one of the first things visitors to the property comment on, and brings a wonderful sense of novelty to the living area without compromising on functionality.
As a final bronze flourish, we also provided a wine cellar from our Nexus range, echoing the classic styling of the exterior glazing throughout the property and providing the ultimate luxury feature for this entertaining-friendly home.
Want to learn more?
We were completely honored to collaborate on the design for this residential home and on the Street of Dreams project in general, and we’re immensely proud of both the outcome and also the feedback received by the judges and the many visitors to the property.
If you’ve got an ambitious design project coming up and you’d like to explore how genuine solid bronze windows, doors, wine cellars or shower enclosures can lead character and originality to both exterior elevations and interior ambiance, we’d be delighted to speak with you – contact our team today.
