Houzz Logo Print
This is an example of a contemporary exterior in Seattle.
MW|Works Architecture+Design
MW|Works Architecture+Design
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars1 Review View Profile

Courtyard House

Contemporary Exterior, Seattle

Sited on a hill sloping towards eastern views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains beyond, this home for a vibrant family of four carefully weaves together their rituals of daily life with an awareness of the site's existing natural elements. Garden courts washed in natural light and lush with native vegetation are delicately carved out between earthen concrete masses, giving a meditative pause between the active living spaces. These negative spaces create a foreground of intimacy with light, earth, air, and native plantings, in contrast to the expansive framed vistas of water, mountains, and sky that are ever present in the distance beyond. The upper volume nestles the bedroom spaces into tree canopies above, modulating daylight, privacy and views with delicate wooden screens. The home acts as a lens that gives material presence to the ephemeral qualities of life and place.