Coastal Retreats: The Pacific Northwest and the Architecture of Adventure [Hardcover]

Linda Leigh Paul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 2002

From a rustic beach house on Puget Sound to a desert retreat on the high plateau of southeast Oregon to a cabin nestled in a forest of Douglas firs, vacation and retreat architecture in the Pacific Northwest is as varied as the terrain itself. The best examples of retreat architecture in the country are here, from ageless timber homes belonging to early Northwest moguls to today's "days away" architecture-- lodges, cabins, and summer cottages that communicate the exuberance for year-round outdoor adventure. With ideal terrain for hiking, rock-climbing, skiing, fly-fishing, and more, the Pacific Northwest is a mecca for lovers of the outdoors, and as a result, a flood of new wealth is being poured into lifestyle architecture in this area. Retreats here are designed to keep the terrain at the inhabitants' fingertips and to adapt to such unique demands as where to park one's glider.

These days Americans can be as remote as they want to be. This book demonstrates how retreat architecture can now respond to our recreational needs while providing comfort and beauty so we can settle down in style.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Paul (Cottages by the Sea) here turns her enthusiasm to vacation architecture of the Pacific Northwest. She's unsparing in her portrayal of the region, praising its "ragged mountains, hot desert updrafts, spires of volcanic rock dating back seventeen million years, seventy-miles-per-hour winds, misty beaches, painted cliffs, shaded forests." The retreats of this land aren't for wimps craving balmy, bucolic days, she says: here, nature needs to be reckoned with. The houses Paul features invite an exploration of the relationship between inside and outside, between human and environment. From a three-story glass beach house in the Oregon coastal community of Neskowin to a cabin nestled into the landscape of north central Washington, Paul opens up a world of retreat possibilities that defines homes "designed for ritual." Her simple but engaging descriptions grab readers by the hand, taking them inside the architecturally brilliant structures of glass, wood and stone; dozens of crisp pictures showcase expansive exteriors and intimate interiors. For the shelter-magazine crowd, Paul's book will serve as both a resource and a visually impressive journey inside nature-inspired cabins, cottages, studios and lodges. Color photographs throughout
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Linda Leigh Paul is the author of Cottages by the Sea: The Handmade Homes of Carmel, America's First Artist Community (Universe) and the coauthor of Tile & Stone (Rizzoli).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Universe (November 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789308010
• ISBN-13: 978-0789308016
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 1 x 8.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #541,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Images and Ideas, January 2, 2003

By 

Don Livingstone (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coastal Retreats: The Pacific Northwest and the Architecture of Adventure (Hardcover)

I was surprized by the quality of the works presented but more particularly the idea of "the architecture of adventure". The premise of this book is "right on." These get-aways are not just comfortable, but expose their owner's attitudes on being at home in nature.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great looking with great ideas..., December 15, 2002

By 

John Keefer (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coastal Retreats: The Pacific Northwest and the Architecture of Adventure (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful book full of beautiful houses in beautiful places. There is a wide range of projects and styles, illustrating the quality of design in the Pacific Northwest region. An attractive book in its own right, this would be a great resource for anybody thinking of building a vacation house.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book ranks high on my list...., December 3, 2002

By 

james castanes ps aia (seattle, wa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coastal Retreats: The Pacific Northwest and the Architecture of Adventure (Hardcover)

Definitely, Linda Leigh Paul should be very proud of her work....It really captures the spirit of Northwest design...When one asks, "Why hire an Architect",,,all one needs to do is show this book,,,it tells all....Again, a job well done!!!