Pb elemental architecture

The White Rock LEED Prefab homes have started construction! They are being developed by Inhaus Development and built by Method Homes. I had previous mentioned them in a post: The project consists of two homes designed around the principals of Inhaus; “Live Smart, not Large”. The project will be the first LEED certified residences built in the City of White Rock and feature a myriad of sustainable materials and design features.

“These two individual “small footprint”, thoughtfully designed homes are “green/sustainable” due to the nature of their construction, design, orientation, insulation & efficiency. Prefabricating the majority of the project in an offsite, climate controlled facility allows us to produce high quality dwellings at a reasonable price, all while greatly reducing on-site waste, local impact & build times. These homes will serve as a model for a number of planned projects in the area that will directly follow the completion of this project.”

“Finish Levels: Designed to a modern aesthetic / minimalist, simple in nature yet high quality in construction. Rather than waste money on elaborate finishes and interior fixtures, we have chosen to stick to our ideals. Both homes feature simple cabinetry that is modern in style, locally built, with no VOC or harmful chemicals. All finishes and fixtures have been selected to meet LEED standards. The homes feature an ultra-efficient in-floor radiant heating system, and are centrally controlled via the built in “smart home” technology. All appliances are top Energy Star rated and were selected for their intrinsic efficiency. The modern quartz countertops incorporate over 75% recycled content, and glass railings / open stairs are used throughout, providing corridors for natural light throughout the homes.”

As you can see in the photos below one of the major advantages of prefab is climate control, since we are having less and less sunshine here in Washington a controlled environment not only speeds construction but also minimizes potential for mold in wood framing. Check back in the next week or two for more progress!!

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Z House Ravenna

It has been a while since I updated you on the Z House. The 2500 sqft home set on a corner lot in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle has just wrapped up substantial construction and move-in has begun! The home designed with a interior courtyard flanked by the main building and detached garage is an Lose Weight Exercise in light and privacy. The rooftop deck offers views to the South towards Mount Rainier and to the West of Ravenna Park. Stay tuned for final photos! 

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Here is an update to the substantial remodel of a bungalow in Ballard. The Lark Residence has now received all it’s windows and doors (La Cantina) and the Vaproshield has been installed. The Cedar rainscreen siding is all but complete and hardipanel is beginning to be installed on the body of the masses. I really love the feel that is being created by the upper bedroom volume over the outdoor/fireplace area. Check in soon for more updates on progress! 

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North facade

The Cloverdale Loft Residence is one of my favorite designs. It is a freestanding one bedroom loft that I designed a few years ago. It just came back on the market as a resale and I thought I would share what the owner has done with it. The home itself has a tiny footprint but offers 18′ ceilings, vertical lift garage door to it’s private patio, a separate recessed laundry and powder room, private rooftop deck and radiant heated concrete floors. The loft is designed to maximize light while maintaining privacy throughout the house and yes if you are an exhibitionist the shower does have a huge plate glass window (frosted though) within the white volume. Enjoy! The listing price is a steal at $189k 

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It has been over a month now and the homeowners of Phinney Ridge modern have moved in and put their personal touches to the interior of the home. It is always exciting to see how the personalities and character of our clients are portrayed through their furniture and artwork. Here are a few samples of the interior photographs of Phinney. Expect a full post soon!

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Upper bedroom volume creating covered patio

After a painstaking deconstruction of the upper level of the existing home construction has begun over the remaining full height basement. As you can see it was a long process but as much material was saved as possible and reused into the new home. Now that framing has begun, the building is really taking shape. Check back soon for more progress photos!

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This residence was recently completed (this week) and is being offered by the owner for sale. The home is in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle just Northwest of Fremont. The concept of the home was to maintain privacy from the street while maximizing the view and interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces. At just over 2500 sqft the home features an open living plan that spills out to over 1000 sqft of covered and uncovered deck area. A vertical lift window was utilized to minimize the transistion between the spaces. In addtion a rooftop deck allows for expansive views toward the Olympics and the Ballard Locks.

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Azaya Leschi

April 1st in Seattle is considered the beginning of “Construction Season” . The weather has improved (supposedly) and our steep sites that give Seattle it’s great views and character are now more stable. While construction is allowed year-round it can depending on the site need a geotechnicval engineer to monitor earthwork during the rainy season. Below are a few renderings of our designs that have started construction in April. Each on very unique infill lots with their own character and considerations. Stay tuned for updated construction photos and client blogs.

Follow the Viretta Residence in Madrona

Residence in Leschi

The Lookout in Queen Anne

The Lark Residence in Ballard

The KRJZ House in Queen

The Corliss Residence in Wallingford (link coming soon)

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Keanu sitting on the steps of Midvale... thinking

You may or may not have heard of the Internet meme movement of “Sad Keanu” which was spawned over a year ago. It features downtrodden pictures of every one’s favorite actor Keanu Reeves photoshopped into various locals. It started with an actual photo of Keanu on a park bench eating a sandwich and contemplating life. From there thousands of images have been created depicting the actor in various and sometimes hilarious situations. As photoshop is a huge part of what we do as architects (while creating renderings, presentations and websites), we have jumped on the Keanu train and have created a series of the actor gracing a few of our new designs. Below you can see a few examples. Sad Keanu spawned a Facebook movement — whose 14,000-plus members celebrated Cheer Up Keanu Day on June 15 — and a URL shortener — http://kea.nu — that lets fans share Sad Keanu pictures while benefiting the charity Stand Up 2 Cancer. Enjoy!

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LEED BeachHaus I & II - White Rock, BC

We are pleased to announce our latest prefab project. We have the distinct honor to be working with Inhaus Development Ltd.in British Columbia. The project consists of two homes designed around the principals of Inhaus; “Live Smart, not Large”. The project will be the first LEED certified residences built in the City of White Rock and feature a myriad of sustainable materials and design features.

“These two individual “small footprint”, thoughtfully designed homes are “green/sustainable” due to the nature of their construction, design, orientation, insulation & efficiency. Prefabricating the majority of the project in an offsite, climate controlled facility allows us to produce high quality dwellings at a reasonable price, all while greatly reducing on-site waste, local impact & build times. These homes will serve as a model for a number of planned projects in the area that will directly follow the completion of this project.”

“Finish Levels: Designed to a modern aesthetic / minimalist, simple in nature yet high quality in construction. Rather than waste money on elaborate finishes and interior fixtures, we have chosen to stick to our ideals. Both homes feature simple cabinetry that is modern in style, locally built, with no VOC or harmful chemicals. All finishes and fixtures have been selected to meet LEED standards. The homes feature an ultra-efficient in-floor radiant heating system, and are centrally controlled via the built in “smart home” technology. All appliances are top Energy Star rated and were selected for their intrinsic efficiency. The modern quartz countertops incorporate over 75% recycled content, and glass railings / open stairs are used throughout, providing corridors for natural light throughout the homes.”

The homes will be built by Method Homesof Bellingham, WA (builders of our Lid Park). Site work is set to begin June 1st with modules being installed in August. Stay tuned for frequent updates on the construction of these homes! For more information please Visit www.inhaus.ca 

Update: Project is slated for LEED Platinum!

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