The Pierre: A Breathtaking Hideaway Tucked in a Cluster of Rocks

The Pierre is a breathtaking home tucked away in the cluster of rocks it was named after ("Pierre" means "Stone" in French). <a href="http://www.olsonkundigarchitects.com/">Olson Kundig Architects</a> designed the hideaway for the owner, who was inspired by the lovely views from the property of the archipelago of the San Juan Islands. The bunker-like villa was built using largely local materials, and its green roof and rocky color cause it to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/11/16/eco-longhouse-blends-into-kansas-prairie-with-green-roof/">melt away into its peaceful surroundings</a>.

Since architect Tom Kundig designed the house to be <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/18/6-fascinating-underground-homes-that-go-above-and-beyond/">sunken into the site</a>, some of the existing rock had to be cut away.

While the excavation process wasn't an easy one, it came with an extra bonus for the contractors - the chipped away <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/04/20/house-made-entirely-from-recycled-granite-debuts-in-milan/">stone</a> could be re-used as aggregate to be mixed into the concrete flooring.

Unlike in most inset structures where walls are put up and the surrounding material is never seen, the natural <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/19/joshua-tree-boulder-house-is-a-study-in-stone-and-steel/">stone</a> makes appearances throughout the house, adding, not subtracting from its aesthetic appeal.

The fireplace hearths were carved from the existing rock and left raw as a striking contrast to the otherwise very polished accouterments.

Many of the other eye-catching features of the home are made of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/29/stone-house-is-a-real-life-flintstones-house-real-or-fake/">rock</a> as well.

The master bathroom’s sink is composed of water cascading into three pools of the existing stone, and a powder room off of the main space is fully carved out of rock.

An old bookcase adds to the home's rustic feel.

A view of the Pierre's peaceful grass roof.