Challenges of a steeply sloping site and a tight budget were remedied by the use of innovative structural systems and modular construction. Called the “Trestle House” due to the foundation system, economy was achieved by the use of a 12’ x 16’ grid creating a short structural span and standard 4’ x 8’ sheets of plywood which is a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Japanese Tatami mat module.
A housing community is the latest reincarnation of this one hundred and ten-year-old structure. Built by Edward Chapman in 1908 over the remnants of his horse stable destroyed by fire and his old coal yard sales shed, Chapman Coal Company Garage and Stables represents a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history and embodies distinctive characteristics of early twentieth century life in Washington, DC. For these reasons the building and site are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The identity of the new housing community is derived from this rich history.
This large wooded site is on a small bay on Lake Washington in the Washington Park neighborhood of Seattle. The parcel enjoys sweeping views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains was well suited for our client’s collection of specimen trees. The client’s dream was to find a waterfront property with perfect exposure that would allow them to build a garden that could accommodate these woodland treasures. Loving the calming effect of water—outings rowing along its shores, and viewing the nearby eagles, otters, and blue herons the couple was most fond of Japanese gardens because of their serenity and beauty. For over twenty years they had amassed an impressive collection of plants which they lovingly cared for and painstakingly pruned, consistent with the traditions of Japanese landscaping. For them, the garden was as important as the home.
“This 1930s cabin conversion on Agate Pass serves as a good balance to working on projects in our Seattle studio each day or work-related travel. Out here there is little noise, no streetlights or sidewalks, and one of the neighboring trees is home to a growing family of bald eagles.” – Alan Maskin, Design Principal.
The home of Alan Maskin, principal and owner of Olson Kundig, this project reflects Maskin’s longstanding interest in the various uses of history. The project includes an 1,100-square-foot renovation and building addition to the original 1930s cabin, interior design and landscape design, as well as an art and custom furniture collection. Maskin’s design intervention delineates the house’s two different eras: the 1930s and today.
This modest home is designed to occupy the footprint of an existing cabin nestled among native conifers on a steep hillside along the shore of the southern Puget Sound. The clients wish to live in close proximity to the sea, where they could tend to oyster beds and be able to enjoy their shared passion for saltwater scuba diving on site. Working with a modest budget and significant site constraints led to a humble and compact form, while creating selective areas of floor to ceiling glass allowed for visual connections to the sea from nearly every room in the home.
A float home renovation situated along the north end of Lake Union in Seattle. The envelope of the existing home was retained to honor the restrictions of shoreline development. Conceptually, the interior palette is intended to harness and amplify the natural light. The exterior is given a material contrast of muted, dark tones to provide rest to the eyes when approaching by foot or boat.
This Place is a digital design studio with locations in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seattle. The design for their Seattle workplace in the Fremont neighborhood illustrates This Place’s core work approach, emphasizing collaborative, open and multifunctional spaces. The digital design studio is divided into three interconnected zones: a collective open workspace at the core that encourages focus, with semi-private project breakout spaces to encourage collaboration and multi-purpose social areas radiating from it and ringing the perimeter. A seamless adjacency between the three zones reflects This Place’s interest in cultivating an open-ended creative work environment.
One of the most historically significant structures in the Pacific Northwest, Providence Academy is nearly 150 years old. The Academy—built by the Sisters of Providence in 1873 and designed by Mother Joseph Pariseau—has served at various times as an orphanage, office space, and boarding school. The boarding school, the last significant occupant, ceased operation with the graduating class of 1966, and in the years since, the building has stood mostly empty and neglected.
In 2009, a local group of civic-minded entrepreneurs, recognizing the inherent value of the legacy building and its important proximity to downtown Vancouver’s urban core, acquired the 64,000-square-foot building. The group worked to stabilize the facility to ensure the building’s continued viability for its yet-to-be determined future. In 2012, The Historic Trust, the organization charged with preservation and management of properties on the nearby Fort Vancouver Historic Site, and Venerable Properties hired SERA for a series of studies to determine Providence Academy’s potential for future use. The result of that study was a multi-phased vision to transform the derelict facility into a re-invigorated hub of activity for the community and the region. “From SERA’s earliest beginnings, we have been working to preserve and breathe new life into older buildings,” notes the firm. “We are passionate believers that a great city can reflect both its past and its present, and that revitalized older buildings create a richness that you don’t get any other way.”
With a long history of sentimental value, the homeowners wanted to keep their family home’s existing footprint while updating the layout to better harmonize with their changing needs and social lifestyle. The design-build team worked in tandem to create spaces that paid homage to original traditional details while transforming the home into a series of modern indoor and outdoor spaces intended for living and entertaining.
Libraries are key parts of the social infrastructure in our society. One of the few remaining public spaces, libraries are places of sharing, learning and discovery. For this project, we were able to turn a casino, which took from the community, into a library; which gives back to the community.
This was the last project of the Capital Bond Measure in which King County Library systems opened 17 new libraries, expanded 11 libraries, and renovated 14 libraries. As it was the last project, the budget was tight and creative solutions were needed.
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