Skip to main content

Peek Inside this Contemporary Home Hidden in the Woods of Iowa

ravine residence
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When you think of Iowa, you most likely think of corn fields and not noteworthy architecture. But hidden in a forest in Des Moines sits a home with an impressive architectural feature. Straddling a small, narrow gorge, Ravine Residence seems to defy gravity. The brainchild of architectural firm BNIM, this inventive home made perfect use of a seemingly unusable piece of land.

Recommended Videos

Covered in dense foliage and trees, with a ravine running through the middle of the site, BNIM was faced with a unique challenge: how to build a home on such a difficult spot. The solution was brilliant: a bridge-like structure of glass, wood, and concrete that all combine to create a visually stunning home that is both stylish and welcoming.

By turning the home into a bridge, BNIM was able to make clever use of the site and turn the ravine into a feature rather than a detriment (much like this River House). The “supports” of the bridge are the entry on one bank and the bedrooms on the other. The bridge section that spans the ravine houses the living area, creating stunning views from inside.

The client desired a deep connection between the home and nature, as well as requiring plenty of privacy. By situating the home over the ravine, allowing them to preserve the existing trees, the architects were able to use the natural surroundings to create privacy while still being able to incorporate plenty of views. The floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the home provided the owner with the desired connection to nature that drove them to build on such a challenging site.

Stepping inside the home, there is an office and a private patio to one side of the entry and a library on the other. Just past the library is the main attraction: the “bridge.” This bright, open space is suspended over the ravine and is where the living room, dining room, and kitchen are located. Walls of glass allow unobstructed views of the ravine below. The beautiful red cedar that clads the exterior continues into the interior, creating continuity throughout the design. Simple materials and furnishings lend the home a relaxing, minimalist feel.

Beyond the living area are the master suite and two bedrooms on the first floor, while upstairs there are two more bedrooms. On the other side of the bank (on the second floor above the library) is a family room that looks down onto the ravine. Every room in the home features plenty of windows and simple designs, always ensuring the ravine and surrounding forest are the stars of the show.

Kelsey Machado
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kelsey is a professional interior designer with over a decade of experience in the design field. With a passion for…
Netflix’s new documentary series now has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes
The miniseries is just three hours long.
Osama bin Ladin in American Manhunt

Netflix puts out tons of new content every week, and while some of it is critically beloved, other things get panned or don't get much critical attention at all. One of the streamer's new shows this May, though, has debuted with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

American Manhunt: Osama bin Ladin is a documentary series that tells the story of the hunt for Osama bin Ladin the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Although he was known in the years before 9/11, bin Ladin became U.S. intelligence's top target in the aftermath of the attacks, and it took nearly 10 years to track him down.

Read more
Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White are set to face off in A24’s Enemies
The movie follows a detective and contract killer who play a game of cat and mouse.
Austin Butler in Masters of the Air.

A24 definitely knows how that one surefire way to drum up interest in its movies is to cast actors who are red hot in the industry. Now, reports suggests that the studio has done just that with Enemies, which will star Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler as, you guessed it, enemies.

The film is described as a crime saga and comes from director Henry Dunham. The film's official synopsis says that it follows “a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer" who "collide in a deadly game of cat and mouse.” Production on the project is slated to begin this summer in Chicago.

Read more
Nobody 2: Everything we know so far
Bob Odenkirk is back for another action adventure
Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 2

Before Bob Odenkirk turned in a seminal performance of TV's prestige era playing Jimmy McGill and Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he was most known for his comedy chops. People were surprised to see him step out of his comfort zone in the world of drama television, but it helped usher in a new reputation for the veteran, everyman star.

Odenkirk got to play an action hero in 2021's Nobody, and the sequel is finally on the way. Nobody 2 might just be one of the best movies of the summer. Here is everything we know about it so far, from the cast to the trailer and the release date.
Is there a trailer for Nobody 2?
Nobody 2 | Official Trailer

Read more