Olson Kundig Architects has designed this floating house, a spectacular retreat located on Portage Bay, a floating home community in Seattle, Washington. Encompassing 1,580 square feet of living space, this home establishes a cabin sensibility in an urban environment.
Low to the water and small in stature, the home creates a platform from which to enjoy and engage with the surrounding waterway. A delicate galvanized steel structure supports generous roof planes and large areas of glazing that open to dramatic 180-degree views and blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The home’s floor plan is thoughtfully configured across two levels to maximize connections to the surrounding marine environment. On the lower level, an open plan layout combines dining, kitchen, and office functions, with a hidden murphy bed for overnight guests.
A glass corner and large sliding doors connect this space to exterior patios with rich Ipe wood decking, where large roof overhangs support year-round usability. The owner’s suite is located on the upper level and frames views to the water while creating a cozy lookout, set back into the home’s footprint, for a sense of refuge.
A roof deck and richly planted container garden continue the indoor/outdoor connection that has been established on the ground level, extending the bedroom outside.
The materiality draws inspiration from the weathered informality of a cabin. Lightly stained knotty western red cedar exterior siding will weather over time with minimal maintenance. The siding’s thin, vertical wood slats are arranged in an irregular articulated pattern, recalling the random composition of trees in a forest.
Durable, low-maintenance metal elements such as galvanized steel and flame-sprayed zinc nod to the demanding marine environment. These metals will complement the color of the siding as it silvers with age, as well as the shifting blues and greys of the surrounding bay.
Wood continues to feature heavily throughout the dwelling’s interior, with warm oak flooring and casework balanced by cooler silver and black metals. Russian birch plywood ceilings extend to exterior soffits, further breaking down barriers between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Knotty wood wall finishes in the main stairwell – which also acts as a lightwell to capture natural daylight – and the owner’s suite likewise weaves exterior materials into the home’s interior. This informal, low-contrast interior supports a sense of the home as an oasis, despite its location in a bustling community.
What We Love: This floating house provides a welcoming respite in the city, with a fabulous indoor-outdoor connection right on the water. With modern, clean lines and a fantastic floor plan, this is the ultimate home to unwind. We are loving the relaxed vibe of this home with its cabin-like feel and fantastic location right on the water, along with the amazing views.
Tell Us: What do you think of the overall concept of this floating cabin? Would this be your idea of the perfect retreat? Let us know in the Comments!
Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other fabulous Seattle home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign: Classic family home gets a modern twist overlooking the Puget Sound and Breathtaking home nestled on a bluff overlooking Lake Washington.
PHOTOGRAPHER Aaron Leitz
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