Reclaimed fir car decking was re-milled into thinner sheets and …
Reclaimed fir car decking was re-milled into thinner sheets and applied as a rainscreen for most of the exterior siding. Pre-painted HardiPlank clads the rest of the exterior.
Courtesy b9 architects
The master bedroom cantilevers out above the front porch, shadin…
The master bedroom cantilevers out above the front porch, shading the main entry.
A section drawing highlights the sustainable materials.
Ed Sozinho
Translucent polycarbonate walls around the pantry let natural li…
Translucent polycarbonate walls around the pantry let natural light into the enclosed space and produce playful shadows that add interest in the open kitchen/dining area.
Courtesy b9 architects
Maple veneer apple plywood wraps around an open pantry and stru…
Maple veneer apple plywood wraps around an open pantry and structural ceiling beam then continues as a slender cabinet that turns into a built-in bench running the length of the dining area.
Courtesy b9 architects
The client wanted the dining/working area to be full of light as…
The client wanted the dining/working area to be full of light as it is her primary working area. She also requested that it overlook an old detached garage turned garden shed that is now topped with a vegetated roof.
Courtesy b9 architects
Just like the kitchen countertops, the stair treads are topped i…
Just like the kitchen countertops, the stair treads are topped in a meterial made from recycled paper, but in a darker hue.
Courtesy b9 architects
The ommitance of risers allows light to flow throughout the 1,33…
The ommitance of risers allows light to flow throughout the 1,330-square foot primary residence.
Courtesy b9 architects
An open library on the second floor landing overlooks the expans…
An open library on the second floor landing overlooks the expansive backyard gardens.
Ed Sozinho
The master bath continues the pale palette selected to reflect a…
The master bath continues the pale palette selected to reflect as much sunlight around the hosue as possible.
Ed Sozinho
The same re-puprosed car decking used on the exterior also enclo…
The same re-puprosed car decking used on the exterior also encloses the powder room.
Courtesy b9 architects
The same translucent polycarbonate from the pantry lines the ins…
The same translucent polycarbonate from the pantry lines the inside powder room walls so light can filter between the dark wood slats, but sound and water stay inside.
Ed Sozinho
The one-bedroom, 795 square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) a…
The one-bedroom, 795 square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at the lower grade has open living with direct connection to a patio and the yard.
Courtesy b9 architects
The piece that pushes out for the ADU bedroom also frames a pati…
The piece that pushes out for the ADU bedroom also frames a patio for that unit’s living room. That patio is adjacent to the deck above, which is an opportunity for that to be shared space describes architect Bradley Khouri."THere's nNo stair from that deck," he adds, " because we the homeowner to have to go back inside to get to the yard."
The client’s intense desire to live in a house that was good for her family and the environment inspired architect Bradley Khouri to design a multifunctional, incredibly green, and highly livable place. To this determined homeowner, a healthy house not only meant no VOCs, but also abundant natural light, reclaimed or recycled-content materials, and enough yard for her garden and teenage son to coexist. Plus, she wanted the new structure’s footprint to be the same size as her existing 1930s house before any additions had been made in order to maintain her large garden. “We had a 9,000-square-foot lot in a neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle with no zoning restrictions, but we only used about 700 square feet of it,” Khouri says, adding that this was just one way the client’s restrictions pushed him to craft inventive solutions.
Insisting on knowing every ingredient used in all of the building materials was another. Khouri looked to local manufacturers who could offer complete transparency of processes and components. Reclaimed fir car decking was remilled into thinner sheets and applied as a rainscreen for most of the exterior siding. Bringing the same dark wood inside as the powder room enclosure provides consistency in the palette. A cabinetmaker was enlisted to do interior millwork using all formaldehyde-free woods and adhesives. Khouri selected maple veneer apple plywood for upper kitchen cabinets as well as an armature that winds through the first floor and delineates functions within the open plan. The pale wood wraps around an open pantry and structural ceiling beam then continues as a slender cabinet that turns into a built-in bench running the length of the dining area.
“The position of that dining room in regard to southern light was crucial,” Khouri declares, “because this was the space where she knew she wanted to hang out.” The client also wanted the dining/working area to overlook an old detached garage turned garden shed that is now topped with a vegetated roof planted with native plants from a nearby nursery. Client and architect agreed that high-performance windows were worth the splurge to keep that corner comfortable in addition to achieving daylighting and passive solar heating throughout the house. Operable doors and windows also are the only cooling system, so placement is optimized for cross ventilation.
Khouri speced a palette of bright finishes to augment all of the natural light. Topping the sapele veneer lower kitchen cabinets are white countertops made near Tacoma, Wash., from 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and natural resin. A glass backsplash above the stove and stainless steel appliances bounces light around the space, and frosted polycarbonate panels allow light to permeate the pantry and powder room walls. Polished concrete floors also reflect the sun’s rays to help brighten interiors. “The bulk of design work was done for the exterior and the kitchen,” Khouri says, “as well as the use of just a few elements on that main floor that really break up the space but allow it to stay open.”
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Seattle, WA.
