Wood Block Residence is situated on the west side of Mercer Island, Washington, this 3,000 square foot (279 square meters) house is a reconstruction of one of iconic Seattle architect Fred Bassetti’s earliest designs built in 1962. Fronting a busy street, the house has been rooted to its sloping wooded site by architecture firm Chadbourne + Doss and provides a protective shelter for family life. The plan is opened up allowing for large family gathering spaces and perspectives throughout the full length of the house.

A new metal skin with interior western red cedar liner wraps over the roof and grounds the house to the site. An aluminum bar grating screen encloses an exterior patio and deck filtering interior views and forming a sparkling and almost transparent wall from the street. The entry approach is redesigned with a cantilevered concrete landing in a sunken courtyard and a 4′ x 11′ pivot door to the interior. Bathing spaces are ethereally bright, smooth and seamless. Materials throughout are natural but installed and crafted in an extremely crisp manner.

Photos: Benjamin Benschneider