Suncrest | Orcas Island | Washington | Heliotrope Architects

This new residence is located on a pristine site comprised of a mature douglas fir and pacific madrone forest, with occasional rocky clearings and several small ponds. Our clients desired a work of architecture that minimized site impacts while creating a work of architecture that utilized their favorite materials (wood and concrete) and connected them intimately with the land and the view. The home is situated where the forest gives way to a large rocky clearing with views to the sea. The structure is ‘wrapped’ around a prominent outcropping of rock and carefully situated to require a minimum of tree removal. The long, narrow footprint of the home allows every room a view of the sea while also retaining a strong connection to the surrounding forest.....more

Single Family House | Magnolia | Seattle | Washington | Heliotrope Architects

A new residence located in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood designed as a simple three-story form wrapped in a cedar rainscreen and stretched across the width of the property to maximize views west toward Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Spaces are arranged according to the importance of prospect and refuge. Primary social spaces are located on the top floor where the view is best and where kitchen, dining and living flow seamlessly together in one loft-like space. Private functions - sleeping and bathing - occur on the second level screened from the street. The ground floor contains entry, garage and an opening through the house, front to back – a covered exterior gathering space that frames the view of water and mountain for the passerby at the street.......more

Summer Home In The woods | Orcas Island | Washington | Heliotrope Architects

The design brief called for a very low-impact, easy to maintain summer home that provides necessary programmatic functions with minimum distractions from the land and the view. The design response situates the structure among mature fir trees located directly between the beach and an upland meadow, with walls of glass opening out to both. Steel columns minimize visible structure from the interior, while metal-clad wall elements provide a bold form when seen from the exterior. The roof is vegetated, which filters rainwater that in turn is collected and stored for use in irrigation. Potable hot water and hydronic heating are aided by solar collectors on the roof, and PV panel s above the vegetable garden provide supplemental electricity. The home is intended for occupancy from May through October, and systems have been designed to zero out electricity use over the course of a full year.....more