An urban exterior with a steep slope site and a retention pond that slowly releases water back into the city system.

This contemporary home features a front entry bridge with retention pond below, slowly releasing water back into the city system.

Water is collected from the roof into the retention pond and slowly released back into the city system. Rather than burying a tank, it was used as a front entry water feature.

The Capitol Hill Residence stair is centrally located in the light filled entry hall. Overhead is a sloping translucent roof that fills the core of the house with daylight. In order to maintain the function of this space, the stair needed to allow light to pass though it and filter all the way into the basement. In addition, we wanted to maintain a visual lightness to the stair through the use of materials and a simple, yet elegant form.

The stair design in the Capitol Hill Residence reinforces the concept of the central light core and makes for a dynamic entry and circulation space. Its apparent simplicity of form and material enhances the overall light and airy quality of the interior spaces.

The stair design in the Capitol Hill Residence reinforces the concept of the central light core and makes for a dynamic entry and circulation space. Its apparent simplicity of form and material enhances the overall light and airy quality of the interior spaces.

The living room and exterior deck were constructed from African mahogany wood windows and doors, offering stunning views.

To minimize the presence of the stair in the hallway the designer eliminated the need for the outer stringer. Instead, they cantilevered the tread supports from a single stringer located adjacent to the wall. The treads themselves are sandblasted acrylic mounted to a pair of tapered steel angles. The tread design allows for maximum light to pass through to the space below. Glass infill panels create the guard at both the stair rail and surrounding guards. With the use of 2 layers of laminated glass no top rail was required at the guard locations. To support the glass, steel bar stanchions span between floors levels, adding an element of continuity to the various levels of the stacked stair. High levels of precision were required during the detailing and construction process to maintain absolute alignment between 3 levels as the stairway extends from upper bridge to the basement.

Day light from a typical overcast Seattle sky penetrates deep into the house through a central translucent slot. Exterior mounted mechanical shades prevent excessive heat gain without sacrificing the view.

This master bedroom offers a glass guard panel outside the large lift-slide door that prevents someone from falling yet doesn't impede on the view.

With sleek, angular lines and a soaring roof, this home defines modern elegance. The home's facade is almost entirely made up of windows to showcase the site's most impressive feature — a gorgeous view.

The minimal foundation sits within the footprint of the previous house, while the upper floors cantilever off the foundation as if to float above the front entry water feature and surrounding landscape.

While the footprint and overall form of the Capitol Hill Residence were shaped by the restrictions of the site, the architectural and mechanical systems at work define the aesthetic.The minimal foundation sits within the footprint of the previous house, while the upper floors cantilever off the foundation as if to float above the front entry water feature and surrounding landscape.

A 30 panel photovoltaic system mounted on the roof feeds electricity back to the grid. While the footprint and overall form of the Capitol Hill Residence were shaped by the restrictions of the site, the architectural and mechanical systems at work define the aesthetic. Working closely with a team of engineers, landscape architects, and solar designers we were able to arrive at an elegant, environmentally sustainable home that achieves the needs of the clients, and fits within the context of the site and surrounding community.

A floor to ceiling glass shower walls help create an open and airy feel in this modern bathroom. Crisp white and grays add to the clean and simplified look. Orange shower tiles adds a bust of color that makes a real statement in this sleek space.

With a compact form and several integrated sustainable systems, the Capitol Hill Residence achieves the client’s goals to maximize the site’s views and resources while responding to its microclimate. Some of the sustainable systems are architectural in nature. For example, the roof rainwater collects into a steel entry water feature, day light from a typical overcast Seattle sky penetrates deep into the house through a central translucent slot, and exterior mounted mechanical shades prevent excessive heat gain without sacrificing the view. Hidden systems affect the energy consumption of the house such as the buried geothermal wells and heat pumps that aid in both heating and cooling, and a 30 panel photovoltaic system mounted on the roof feeds electricity back to the grid.

While the footprint and overall form of the Capitol Hill Residence was shaped by the restrictions of the site, the architectural and mechanical systems at work define the aesthetic. Working closely with a team of engineers, landscape architects, and solar designers we were able to arrive at an elegant, environmentally sustainable home that achieves the needs of the clients, and fits within the context of the site and surrounding community.