ALLEY HOUSE in Seattle, Washington by Robert Hutchison Architecture

Article source: Robert Hutchison Architecture

Building upon a series of conceptual schemes for compact living and working units that architect Robert Hutchison has designed over the last decade, this DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit, also known as a backyard cottage) is sited in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. The site is directly adjacent to Hutchison’s own backyard architecture studio, which was built behind the architect’s own home several years prior. With Alley House, Hutchison presents a new option for urban housing, exploring the backyards of single-family zoned lots as sites for more density in living and working.

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

• Architects: Robert Hutchison Architecture
• Project: ALLEY HOUSE
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Photography: Mark Woods Photography
• Project Team: Robert Hutchison, Scott Claassen, Wenjing Zhang, Siyu Qu, Sean Morgan
• Structural Engineer: Bykonen Carter Quinn Structural Engineers
• General Contractor: YS Built
• Completed: 2018

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Designed as living space for the owner who plans to rent out their house located on the same property, the 799-square-foot structure is one square foot less than the maximum floor area permitted for DADUs by the City of Seattle. While technically a two-story structure, through the combination of a double-height space and the cladding of floors and interior walls with plywood, the space feels more like a large room with a loft. A plywood-clad cabinet on the ground level expands and sprouts upwards encasing the stair, the mezzanine floor, and walls before disappearing in the luminosity of the white gabled ceiling. The fir A/C plywood brings warmth to the interior spaces, while also maximizing economy. The design showcases the beauty of this structural material, revealing rather than concealing it in the floor sheeting and walls. An emphasis on durable, long-lasting materials continues with the grey Marmoleum tile inside and the exterior metal siding system outside.

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

The DADU is organized around a central stair, which does double duty of achieving hyper-efficient circulation, and demarcating the interior spaces. Centrally locating the stair means it establishes a separation between the kitchen and the double-height living area below, and between the bedroom and workspace above. Demarcating the spaces in this way creates a sense of spaciousness within the compact footprint, as there are no enclosing walls except around the washroom. Alley House maximizes usable space, budget, and efficiency, while incorporating materials and scale at the micro level to create a sense of human comfort.

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Mark Woods Photography

Image Courtesy © Robert Hutchison Architecture

Image Courtesy © Robert Hutchison Architecture

Image Courtesy © Robert Hutchison Architecture

Image Courtesy © Robert Hutchison Architecture

Tags: Seattle, Washington

Categories: House, Residential

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