Olson Kundig Architects designed this sleek modern house that features a steel tower home office, nestled in a dense forest of Carnation, Washington. This project called “Maxon House” shows how a disciplined program and budget can lead to innovative design solutions that can liberate rather than confine. Encompassing 3,200 square feet of living space, this dwelling connects family members with each other and with its wooden surroundings.

Situated on a densely forested 21-acre property, the home is perched on a bluff, boasting sweeping views of the Tolt River Valley. The design turned the site’s inherent constraints into opportunities, such as the steep slope that cuts through the lot, which inspired the home’s cantilevered design. The resulting long, rectangular floor plan optimizes the panoramic westward-facing views of the valley below. Continue below to see the rest of this home along with the incredible steel tower home office that separates from the house on a set of railroad tracks.

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Olson Kundig Architects CLIENT & GENERAL CONTRACTOR Lou Maxon STEEL FABRICATION Alpine Welding STRUCTURAL ENGINEER MCE Structural Consultants

A weathered Corten steel ramp begins the dramatic entry sequence which culminates in a massive steel pivoting front door into this Washington forest house.

A wall of full-height windows in the main living area frame the towering fir trees beyond, while also countering the horizontality of the overall plan.

A palette of raw, humble interior materials such as concrete and plywood unfold throughout the home’s interior.

What We Love: This house in the Washington forest maximizes views throughout its design, which is centered on a work/life atmosphere. When the owner needs an escape, he can step outside to his double-story steel tower home office that is mounted on railroad tracks, where it can transition from a nested extension of the home’s living space to “roll away” and become an independent, detached studio. An overall clever concept for those who need inspiration and solitude.

Tell Us: Would this home and home office in the forest be your idea of the ultimate respite? What do you think of the overall creative endeavor of the steel tower home office? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Check out a couple of other incredible home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of Washington: A revamped lake house beautifully connects with nature on Mercer Island and This urban sanctuary in Seattle connects with its natural environment.

STEEL TOWER HOME OFFICE

Complementing the existing home on the site, the architects also designed Maxon Studio as a dedicated office for the owner’s creative branding agency, providing space for both production and quiet reflection. The two-story steel tower is mounted on a 15-foot-gauge railroad track, allowing it to transition from a nested extension of the home’s living space to an independent, detached studio.

Maxon Studio reflects the materiality and views of the original home while translating the home’s horizontal proportions to a vertical arrangement. This contrast creates a dialogue with the existing building as well as a new experience of the heavily wooded site.

The studio’s unique infrastructure is inspired by the legacy of the rail industry in the local region, as well as steel cables and railroad spikes discovered on the site during excavation for the main house. Like a traditional caboose, the studio’s lower level is the main working space, with a built-in desk and numerous shelves for storage and display.

A steel-clad wall allows the workspace to be surrounded by visually inspiring materials that can be easily replaced as creative themes and assignments change. The upper level is accessible via a steel ladder, with a small dumbwaiter to transport heavy or bulky items. Envisioned as a calmer zone for creative exploration and restoration, this level functions much like a cupola on a train’s caboose, a high vantage point to look out across the landscape.

Subtle references and industry artifacts throughout the studio further showcase the influence of trains and railway design on the project. The studio’s control panel, which was formerly installed in a Burlington Northern locomotive, has been rewired and adapted to manage electrical acceleration and braking.

The color of the studio door matches the original DuPont paint color of the striping on Great Northern trains, while plywood was chosen as interior wall cladding due to its widespread use in railcars.

The wooden railroad ties used are authentic to the industry, repurposed from a Great Northern Railroad relay line, though the steel tracks are a much larger gauge than is typically used. Informed by Japanese high-speed railways, the studio track includes a stabilizing bar that will prevent the tower from tipping during an earthquake.

Above: The video above shows how the steel tower home office moves across the railroad tracks, separating itself from the house for privacy.

PHOTOGRAPHER Nic Lehoux (house) Aaron Leitz (office)