This contemporary 4,815 square foot sustainable urban home was designed by Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects, located in Seattle, Washington. The exterior facade features a compact form designed to maximize views of the home’s surroundings, while responding to its micro climate. Sustainable features were integrated into the architecture, including a rainwater collection system on the roof. This system collects into a steel water feature at the entryway.
A translucent slot integrated into the center of the home allows daylight to filtrate into the home, while exterior mechanical shades prevents head gain without having to sacrifice views. Concealed systems affects the energy consumption of this home, which includes the buried geothermal wells and heat pumps, aiding in both heating and cooling. A 30 panel photovoltaic system mounted on the roof feeds electricity back to the grid.
Above: The garage doors are from the Clopay Avante Collection, while the panels are a frosted glass.
The home was designed where the previous house was sited, while the upper floor was designed to cantilever off the foundation. This helps to create the illusion of floating over the front entryway water feature and surrounding landscape.
Above: The exterior facade consists of a modified wood panel rainscreen made by Parklex with an Amber finish and stucco from Europlast (decorative finish providing color, texture and a weathering surface in a trowel applied coating) by Stuc-O-Flex with a Euroseal sealer.
The overall form of the home was shaped by restrictions to the site, yet architectural and mechanical systems helped to define the home’s clean-lined aesthetic. The architects worked alongside a team of engineers, landscape architects, and solar designers to create an elegant and environmentally sustainable home that catered to the needs of the homeowners, while fitting within the context of the site and surrounding neighborhood.
What We Love: This sustainable urban home was designed with plenty of eco-friendly options and materials, while still maintaining an eye-catching aesthetic. With viewing decks and expansive windows that maximize views while also providing privacy from neighbors. The translucency of the stairwell at the core of the home helps to keep the interiors feeling bright and airy while defining interior living spaces… Readers, please share with us what features of this home catches your eye!
Note: Have a look at a couple of other feature home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign from the portfolio of Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects: Spectacular light filled lake house overlooking Lake Washington and A budget-friendly cabin surrounded by forest in Methow Valley.
Above: The front entry awning is a solid plate steel welded to a beam above the entry door.
Above: The living room features a built-in gas fireplace by Montigo DelRay Corp: Model number R-520. The glass opening dimensions are 61.25″ x 16.125.” The hearth is concrete, while the surround is the same stucco used on the exterior of the home.
Above: The staircase was custom designed for this project. The dimensions of the handrail posts are 2″ x 1/2″ steel bar stanchions. The stair treads are 1 1/2″ thick acrylic lightly sanded on all sides.
Above: The stair treads along with the bridge are composed of acrylic to maximize the light into the space.
Photos: Steve Keating Photography
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