The Cady Mountain Home on San Juan Island, Washington has been designed by Prentiss Architects. The home is comprised of three separate structures, a main house, a sleeping cabin and a guest house, all connected by walking paths and each blending into the natural landscape and draped over an island ridge-top. The architects also incorporated environmentally sustainable elements into the design, such as sod roofs, reclaimed wood and bamboo flooring. The house received a top design award from the Northwest chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), selected by the jury of architects for the Honor Award of 2005. The AIA jury stated that “the building seems to settle into the earth, and it is very grounded in the site. The stone landscape walls allow the exterior terraces to link the interior with the natural landscape, a sure-handed clarity of plan. The axis in the main house is handled with striking consistency and integrity as a single solid object of distinct material.”

The home was built on a secluded 20-acre lot, with the vision of creating a space that brought the outdoors in and the indoors out. The 1,350 square foot main living space is the hangout area for the owners and guests, containing a dining room, living room, sitting room and kitchen, plus an entertainment-sized terrace accessible through a series of folding sliding and single doors.

The spacious chef’s kitchen operates as a functional outdoor kitchen where the entire kitchen wall opens up and disappears. A raised barbeque area with built-in seating and a fireplace is one of the places on the property that sees the most traffic, particularly in the summer months.

Photos: Courtesy of Prentiss Architects