Pro Projects

A transformative redesign in Seattle

Here’s how CAST architecture created a pristine example of the Pacific Northwest vernacular, opening up a home to its idyllic surroundings while also providing more space for a growing family.

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.

Creating space for 21st century living

When the owners approached CAST, they had been living in their home for several years and were finding it increasingly lacking in accommodating their family’s changing needs and hobbies. The existing home had a compartmentalized layout and a gable roof that cut off views of the lake and mountains beyond. To make the updates needed while complying with land use restrictions, CAST created a design that fit in the home’s original footprint but added a second volume and a third floor. The new space includes a yoga studio and office for the wife, a music room for the husband, and a second more casual living room for the kids that’s complete with a kitchenette and a bonus space that one child has adopted as her art studio.

Before and after images of the home show the dramatic transformation, which kept the original footprint but added a second volume and third floor.

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Making the most of a stunning locale

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. 
“With durable aluminum-clad exteriors and minimal frame profiles, the E-Series windows helped us set the stage for views without distraction,”

Tim Hammer, AIA

 

Bringing in the light

And while the lake side is the main event, the street side wasn’t forgotten either. Adding glazing there was key to the daylighting scheme but required careful planning to preserve privacy. Higher placement and selective use of satin etch glass proved good solutions to that end. The stair also provided a major opportunity to bring light into three floors through a monumental window and a skylight above surrounded by internal windows. Although this lightwell was key to the daylighting scheme, it added a complication due to its orientation toward the garage. Complying with land use restrictions meant the garage had to stay in its original location, so Hammer and the team designed an elegant solution: a green roof. Native plantings now enliven the garage roof creating a beautiful focal point that also roots the home deeper in its region. 

Careful planning, creative problem solving, and a deep understanding of the area resulted in a home that perfectly suits its owners and “captures the essence of 21st century Northwestern life,” as Hammer put it. 

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