Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

A Tall, Skinny Home Makes the Most of a Narrow Lot in Portland, Oregon

A Tall, Skinny Home Makes the Most of a Narrow Lot in Portland, Oregon

Despite its name, Waechter Architecture’s Slender House stretches out to make its site the real home.

Depending on how you look at it, Maja Henderson and Patrick Gibson either live in a tall, skinny dwelling or a small indoor/outdoor compound.

Designed by Waechter Architecture, Slender House is a three-story residence built on a long, skinny half-lot between a warehouse and an existing historic home. Though it's just 15 feet wide, the house’s 50-foot length allowed Waechter to stack public areas and bedrooms on either side of the building, with circulation and storage spaces in the middle-including a skylight that makes the stairway into a light well.

"As we know, light in Portland can be scarce certain times of year. But even on a cloudy day, the light just pours in," Henderson says.



The Slender House won a design award from the American Institute of Architects’ Portland chapter.

Behind the house is a separate detached garage, with a small studio residence Gibson and Henderson use for guests. Between the two buildings and the warehouse wall lies a secluded courtyard, where the couple often entertain, using the ground-floor kitchen in tandem with the outdoor area.

"On the ground floor we envisioned the entire property, 25 feet by 100 feet, as what we call a carpet," Waechter explains, noting the pattern of stone pavers filling the full site. "The idea is the outside space is actually the main room, and within that are these smaller buildings. It’s trying to be more fluid from indoors to outdoors."



The third-floor master bedroom at Slender House. "It's like waking up in the clouds," homeowner Maja Henderson says.

The home is defined by its simple, elegant material palette and precise detailing. The design team used the same white oak for the home's flooring, cabinetry, and doors.

"If a space is made of 100 different things, that’s a much different experience than a space that’s made out of one thing," the architect explains. "If it’s one thing, it more strongly imprints on you and becomes part of the identity of the place." Both building exteriors are wrapped in charred timber siding imported from Japan.



At the rear of the house, the garage and the adjacent warehouse form a secluded courtyard the owners enjoy as an extension of the dining room.

When the couple first moved in a year ago, "we did have sore calves," Gibson laughs. But they’ve been surprised just how connected the three levels feel. Best of all, though, is the top floor, where the pitched roof creates a vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom, and the view looks over the rooftops.



"The whole south side of the house is windows," he says. "No matter where you are, top or bottom, you feel connected."



The third-floor master suite at Slender House enjoys a vaulted ceiling that helps create a sense of volume and spaciousness—even while showering.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×