London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×