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Capitol Hill House, Seattle

Washington Residential Development – design by SHED Architecture & Design

Apr 2, 2014

Capitol Hill House

Design: SHED Architecture & Design

Location: Seattle, Washington, USA

New Residence in Seattle

Site
A 40’ x 120‘ lot in in Seattle’s East Capitol Hill neighborhood that sits on a well-traveled tree lined arterial.

Photos: Mark Woods

Program
The clients wanted an economical, efficient, low-maintenance house with ground floor living areas that extend out to comfortable outdoor spaces. The social family chef wanted the kitchen to occupy a central and commanding position in the house. Two kids rooms with a shared bath and a master suite on the upper floor and mechanical, storage, and media room in the basement round out the program.

Design
By focusing areas of glazing and extending the ceiling and walls beyond the line of enclosure the house establishes a strong connection to its front and rear yards while shielding its occupants from multi-family buildings along the sideyards. A walled and elevated terrace extending from the sunken living room claims the front yard as occupiable space and shields the living spaces from traffic on the arterial below. Corrugated metal siding and concrete site walls were used where privacy was desired, while wood windows, doors, and siding were used at the sheltered open ends where people interact directly with the building’s exterior.

Distinct Solutions
A high performance enclosure is achieved by Advanced Framing (requires up to 30% less lumber) and an effective combination of insulation products and methods. Triple-pane windows protected by aluminum plate ‘visors’ and metal siding create a low-maintenance envelope. A south-facing light monitor with a motorized north-facing awning window creates a stack effect for ventilation while providing ample daylight. Heating is supplied by a high-efficiency boiler, indirect water storage tank, and in-floor radiant heating controlled by programmable (Nest) thermostats. With the exception of select decorative fixtures, LED lighting was used throughout the house.

Capitol Hill House – Building Information

Project Name: Capitol Hill House
Project Location: Seattle, WA
Square Footage: 2,458
Contractor: Dolan Built, LLC
Structural Engineer: Harriott Valentine Engineers

Photography: Mark Woods