Outstanding Offbeat Organic Beauty – the Work of Robert Harvey Oshatz

If you haven’t seen the work of Robert Harvey Oshatz, then you’re in for a huge treat, because he’s our only guest here at Offbeat today. He’s that cool. He gets the whole day. Although really he’s so cool he should get the month. But I digress.

Oshatz has designed many an amazing structure in my home state – Oregon and in other areas as well, as far reaching as Japan. His work is a mix of commercial, residential, religious, and more. What I love is how his work is entirely unique yet somehow manages to fit into the landscape so well – which is crucial I think if we want to preserve the natural environment. We really need to see more often that landscape and structure can ease together.

His design philosophy is really bold. Here’s a clip:

“Except for the basic elements of design composition, dominance, transition, and identity; I stay away from design theories. They seem to be too transitory and irrelevant to my work. Design theories tend to outshine their author’s performance, becoming limiting concepts, prejudicing the mind while tying one’s hands behind one’s back. They are roadblocks to new ideas. While subscribing to a particular theory of design an architect must solve problems within the parameters of that theory; this is limiting at best…

The requirements of architecture are such that I must go beyond what the client understands. There must be surprise, mystery, beauty and delight, elements that make architecture rewarding to its users for a lifetime. This is one of the primary differences between architecture and building. It is the architect’s responsibility to go beyond the mere program and into the realm of what I call the spiritual.”

You should really read Oshatz’s entire design approach though, not simply the clip above. It’s great, very interesting when combined with his work.

I ran into some issues deciding which homes to show. I’ll show two houses today, but narrowing it down to two was very difficult. I love many of his residential works a lot. Being a fan of Oregon in general, I did decide to go with two Oregon homes, which narrowed it down a little.

First up the Wilkinson Residence. This is not a house easily captured in photos. However, it’s lovely and offbeat all the same. Located in Portland the home’s lot is a fast sloping grade which according to Oshatz’s site, “Provided the opportunity to bring the main level of the house into the tree canopy to evoke the feeling of being in a tree house.” The client wanted a home that flowed with the natural environment, and I’m thinking that said client got their wish. Take a look:

It sort of makes you gasp, no? I almost can’t stop looking at it. This next photo is my favorite picture of the home. It’s the entryway, but it resembles a kaleidescope somewhat – like the flow keeps going when you look right at the circles. Very slick.

Make the jump to see a few more photos.

Look at this door.

It does really seem like a treehouse from the inside. Out the windows all you see is green. I bet it’s amazing in the autumn though as well.

Cool interior view.

Now, there are many more photos of this home at Oshatz’s site, including, some really neat exterior curves and windows. Later today, we’ll see one more home by this amazing architect.

[All photos courtesy of Robert Harvey Oshatz]