Puget Sound Beach House
Kingston, WA
- 3,460 square feet
- 2 bedrooms
- 5 baths
- Office, shop, tatami room, exercise room, and library
- Completed in 2003
Situated on the western shore of Puget Sound work is nearly complete on this new home. The site has a very limited buildable area, as it is wedged between the shore of Puget Sound on the east and sensitive wetlands to the west. The small buildable footprint of the site and the owner’s program dictated a vertical stacking of spaces that gradually move from public to private with each successive level. This concept, coupled with the owner’s desire for a modern beach house feel, similar to those found on the Northeastern seaboard, drove the project’s design. An open plan ensures flowing movement throughout the spaces, while a two-story wall with glass facing the water allows for dramatic views. Each level is organized around a single loaded lineal circulation corridor, which runs parallel to the waterfront and is open to the water view. Low-maintenance, durable materials were requested by the clients to withstand the exposure to the coastal environment, which led to a palate of metal siding and concrete block. This also appealed to the owners’ desire for a low-cost, more “industrial” aesthetic. This feeling is translated to the interior as well, with concrete floors, a concrete block fireplace and metal stairs and handrails. The flat-roofed structure allows for a deck at every level, allowing plenty of space, both interior and exterior, from which the owners can take in the views and entertain.
- Structural Engineer
- Swenson Say Faget