There are many architectural styles for the houses on this street in the Cathedral Park neighborhood, but this one is singular. That’s because it was recently designed by architect Christopher Brown of local firm Linden, Brown Architecture for the owners of a shoe design company to be not only their primary residence but a creative compound: a live-work campus.

Still, the architects and owners took care to keep the scale of the 2021 building modest so it stays in check with the rest of the street. They followed that up with unobtrusive exterior material choices, such as stained cedar siding and an aluminum shingle roof. From the sidewalk, casual observers might have trouble finding the garage door, seeing how it blends in so seamlessly. (It’s on the far right.)

The entrance is denoted by an open-air breezeway, which connects the two sides of the property under a shared roof, with the primary residence to the left, the studio to the right, and a portal to the backyard at the other end. About that roof: the raised portions capped in glass are called “monitors,” and they serve to bring as much light into the building as possible. Most of them face the backyard, a gorgeously landscaped courtyard designed by Wesley Younie, that’s flanked by the home on two sides and the Baltimore Woods Nature Corridor on the third, making it feel quite private and serene.

At 1,283 square feet, the “working” part of the complex is the size of a small home, and can function like one as well should the new owners want to do so. Through a foyer fitted with an artful display—it’s got shoes for now, of course—find a full bathroom, sizable bedroom/office lined with storage, and, down a few steps, a conference room, plus kitchen and lounge. Large panels of glass look into the backyard or beyond, as the property has views of the St. Johns Bridge, Willamette River, and the West Hills.

In the primary residence, the main floor is also an open plan. The combined living spaces flow into the primary bedroom, and an upper loft offers a tertiary perch. All that openness is balanced by what’s stashed behind the battened maple wall paneling, as much of it is actually custom cabinetry or operable doors that conceal everything from the kitchen refrigerator and dining room buffet to the powder room and the primary bathroom. (Apparently, the carpenter has fitted out interiors for high-end fashion brands like Hermes and Louis Vuitton.)

Such highly crafted details are too numerous to count, including the integrated concrete sinks in the kitchen and baths, walnut kitchen cabinets and custom built-in primary bed, waterproof plaster walls in the main bathroom, pivot hinges on all the doors, and the custom steel and wood staircase.

Downstairs, there’s an additional en-suite bedroom, laundry/utility area, and family room. The last, like the studio and main residence, has easy access to the yard. There, Ipe decks and decomposed granite paths and patios form spots to lounge or conduct a breakout session, while the garden beds have been planted so as to bloom during every season of the year. And should you want to get off-campus for a bit, Cathedral Park, Pier Park, and downtown St. Johns are all less than a mile away.

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 9808 N Edison St, Portland, OR 97203
• Size: 3,557 square feet/3 bedroom/3.5 bath 
• List Date: 5/11/2024 
• List Price: $2,150,000
• Listing Agent: Karoline Ashley, Windermere Realty Trust