Site specific, environmentally conscious homes, designed to walk lightly on the land.
We are now offering certified blower door testing for all residential and small commercial construction projects in the Methow Valley.
Intrinsic Design is dedicated to providing clients with high quality blower door testing to ensure Energy Code Compliance and to help you meet your high efficiency goals.
Give us a call or contact us through or contact page for more information.
Rates: $400 for first test $250 for second test
Room One is a multifaceted social services nonprofit organization located in the heart of Twisp. Room One is a community voice, powerfully advocating for the health and well-being of all people living in the Methow Valley. They play the leading role in bringing valuable social services to those in need on our community. With the fast rise in population in the valley, Room One’s services have been in great demand and that has led to a need for an expansion of their facilities. Thus, the Room One Client Services Building.
So, Intrinsic Design began working with Room One’s Building Committee in the fall of 2020 to develop a plan for a new campus. Two Client Services Buildings plus an Infants Resource Exchange Building make up the built portion of the campus. Additionally, a landscaped courtyard with privacy spaces will join the buildings together.
Once completed, the new campus will have ample space for meeting clients, teaching classes, hosting meetings and throwing the occasional celebration for the community. Indoor and outdoor spaces will flow easily through large sliding doors, shady covered porches and beautifully landscaped spaces.
Blackcap Builders Collective is moving fast through construction as we move out of winter and towards spring of 2023. Excitement to get the second Client Services Building design finished up is starting to grow. Intrinsic Design is excited to sit down with Room One’s Building Committee again to set out a plan. More to come soon!
Being a part of the existing neighborhood was a driving force behind the design of the exterior of the Room One Client Services Building. The new building sits on the same lot as the existing building on 2nd and Lincoln Streets in Twisp, Wa.. Architectural style, materials, siding colors and roofing have all been selected to be in harmony with the largely residential neighborhood in which it resides. Fitting in and fostering a sense of community was a priority from the beginning.
Methow Trails is the keystone provider of winter recreation in the Methow Valley maintaining over 120 miles of groomed Nordic Ski trails every year. Founded in 1977, their influence on the culture of the valley has been profound. Intrinsic Design was deeply honored to be picked to design the Methow Trails Campus.
Maintenance and Events Facilities, Equipment Storage and a new Administration Building (unbuilt as of 2023) are all included in the layout of the new campus. Durability, beauty and energy efficiency are the motivation behind each design choice. A solar array designed for the roof of the Equipment Shed will one day provide the operational energy to help Net Zero the campus energy needs.
The exterior aesthetics of the Methow Trails Campus honors the agricultural heritage of the Methow. To that end, we used dark rough sawn board and batten siding and traditional gable roof shapes. Details like gable look outs, steel wainscoting and post and beam elements reinforce the look.
The Administration Building is still in the line up to be built. This structure will provide the administration staff with a comfortable home to keep the operations running smoothly and a place to continue to plan great all seasonal events. Passive House inspired building assemblies will ensure the highest level of energy efficiency and the least use of resources. Creating the smallest foot print on resources possible is a primary goal for the Methow Trails Campus.
Intrinsic Design welcomes inquiries for other non profit based and commercial design work. We really enjoy working with a group of people with a vision and will do our best to help you meet all of your goals!
The Gardner View House sits on a bench above the Methow River and was designed with a nod to traditional valley aesthetics while keeping to the clean lines of a long low modern shed roof form. Thus, posts and beams of dark brown wood and the use of single hung windows reflects the old agricultural tradition in the neighborhood.
The house has passive solar design built in to capture the heat of the low southern sun through the winter months. The big 5′ overhang on the south side blocks the sun during the heat of the summer. During the winter the low angle of the sun sneaks under that overhang and pours warmth into the living space. Deep porches on the West side of the house block the hot afternoon sun.
A post and beam breeze way leading from the garage doubles as the front porch entry for the house providing shelter for the entrance and safe passage to the outbuilding. A distinctly mid century modern front door welcomes visitors and leads them into a small foyer and quick access to the mudroom. From the foyer, one can see straight through the house to the magnificent view of Mt Gardner.
Sunlight bathes the open kitchen through big south facing windows providing winter warmth and a wonderful space to sit. The dining space is surrounded by views to the south and west and is capped by a stylish modern chandelier.
A custom designed two sided gas fire place separates the kitchen from the living space. Book shelves with storage cabinets below line an entire wall of the living space. The richness of the wood adds a warmth to the room that is irreplaceable. Natural light and long views towards the mountains are provided by a bank of west facing windows.
Specs:
The Red Dog Guest House is a project that seeks to bridge modern and traditional design while bringing beauty and added utility to a property in the Methow Valley. The RDGH sits prominently in an open field and as such takes in huge views in three directions. The combination of shed and gable roof lines looks to fit with the character of the buildings in the surrounding landscape while making a strong sculptural statement of its own. A roof system of wood beams covered in Douglas Fir decking makes for a rich earthy feel and ensures that this space is built for the long term.
Visitors to the Red Dog Guest House are greeted by a large porch roof and entry deck with a custom storage bench to give quick respite from summers heat or winters snow. Deep greys and muted browns color the exterior of the building and help mask its presence in a wide-open field. The natural wood tone of the roof beams helps to soften and warm the exterior at close range.
A second story guest space focuses banks of windows toward the beautiful up-valley views giving a sense of being perched on the land. A north-facing porch gives the visitor an area from which to take in the vista and watch the hawks ride breezes rising off the nearby bluff. Long banks of joined windows allow one to take in sweeping views of the landscape from virtually anywhere in the main living space..
The interior makes use of efficient living and sleeping spaces. Bedrooms are purposefully kept small to leave more space for kitchen, living, and dining. The kitchen features a beautiful custom designed cherry and maple built-in dining area tucked into a windowed corner. Graphite grey cabinetry and white quartz countertops add a cohesive beauty through out.
Construction of the Red Dog Guest House started with the removal of an old RV Barn and reuse of the existing foundation and infrastructure. To reuse and improve upon was a guiding principal from the start. Working with Blackcap Builders Collective ensured that the old building was recycled into the community or back into the new structure. The building is sided with Hardie Board to protect it from fire and provide a highly durable low maintenance finish. Insulation values were ramped up to provide a comfortable low energy living space. Higher insulation values were added to south and west walls to block summers heat. High insulation values in the roof help conserve heat in the winter.
One can’t miss the strong presence of the roof’s beams and decking. Natural wood tones and the inherent strength of the beams give one a sense of safety amid such a powerful landscape. The repetitive pattern of beam and decking create a rich interior and enhance the connection from outside to inside on the second floor.
Outdoor living spaces abound to foster a comfortable time spent outside. A large shaded south-facing entry deck welcomes visitors and provides a place to watch the days’ events change over the long-distance valley view. A north-facing porch on the first floor provides a place to gather with groups and enjoy the shaded side of the house. Above, a second-floor north-facing porch gives an intimate place to sit with the view.
The Pine Forest Shadow House is a modern, shed-roof cabin and the owners consider it an architectural sculpture in the Methow Valley. From sun up to down, light moves around the property, casting shadows. The intent is to create another shadow in the forest. The building hides in the pines to not take away from the beauty that stood there for millennia before its existence.
Architecturally, the structure steps away from you in 5 planes: entryway, foyer, mud room, bedroom, and towards the forest lanai. The material choices and colors blend in with the shrub-steppe hillside. Functionally, the Shadow House is meant to be a true getaway cabin for an active couple and their family and friends. The living space is open but retains a human scale to emphasize a feeling of comfort.
Carefully placed windows open the main room to the beauty of the forest around the house allowing a sense of immersion in nature from the comfort of the cabin. Sleeping quarters are intentionally kept small to encourage use of the main space. The entry layout is specifically designed around an active lifestyle with quick access to a mudroom and laundry space. The bathroom features a soaking tub for relaxation and recovery after the days long adventures in the mountains of the Methow.
Constructed with a 4-ft foundation, Hardipanel, and metal roof it will house the owners comfortably through 4 seasons and protect them in the event of a wildfire. The lanai is a defensible space and in the summer, the soffit extends the living area to the outside with shade.
The Shadow House was designed and is being built by Black Cap Builders Collective. It’s constructed with green materials and modern techniques. Black Cap brings attention to detail, craftsmanship, and ability to realize the vision the clients had for a home in the Methow.
On a budget.
