It was not an easy renovation. Even if it hadn’t started at the beginning of COVID, the home is on Lake Washington in Seattle, making it subject to a number of land use restrictions. “It would have been much easier to tear down and start from scratch,” said lead architect Tim Hammer, AIA. Doing so, however, would have meant losing the grandfathered-in setback and a lot of living space. 

So, Hammer and his team at CAST architecture got creative with a plan that overcame the barriers and resulted in a design that fits the family’s lifestyle and taste while also making the most of their home’s stunning surroundings.

The additional space added through the redesign created the conditions needed to shift focus back to the scenery. “Switching to a shed roof created almost theatrical views,” Hammer said. Floor-to-ceiling glazing makes the most of the drama on the lake side where the public rooms are concentrated. But because the lakeside location, with its northwest exposure, also comes with heavy weather, it was important to balance performance with aesthetics. The E-Series delivers on both. “With durable aluminum-clad exteriors and minimal frame profiles, the E-Series windows helped us set the stage for views without distraction,” Hammer said.