Sunset Hill Residence
The west side of Sunset Hill offers great south and west light and views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. The opportunity to design a new home on this great site offers many challenges and rewards. The house is intended to be an affordable custom modern home uniquely tailored to the setting and the clients’ live-work program. It is designed as a reverse floor plan with the main living spaces above to capture the dramatic views and abundant natural light. A wrap-around deck on the first floor offers space to enjoy the yard from the work studios and entry.
With 2 bedrooms and 2 work studios plus a generous living/entertaining space, the 2100 s.f. floor plan has to be very efficient to fit within the tight budget. The 55-foot no-build covenant in the front yard created additional site planning challenges. The result was a compact 2-story volume located in the northwest portion of the site allowing a landscape buffer to the neighbor to the west, parking along the alley to the north, and the large front yard setback to the south.
Emphasis is placed on the simplicity of detailing, durable materials, and sustainable provisions for solar electricity, solar water heat, and water conservation. The project is designed to 4-star Built Green Rating standards.
