A carefully sited house on a river

This compact, single-story residence located on the banks of the White River five miles from Mt. Rainier quietly blends into the surrounding forest. An entry courtyard serves as a transition space from outdoors to indoors, provides balanced light to the interior living spaces, and keeps the ubiquitous elk herds at bay. Inside, a steel-clad fireplace complements the natural wood interiors while separating the living room from a covered outdoor patio.

Working diligently with the client who also served as General Contractor, the building footprint was kept as compact as possible to minimize site disturbance. The residence emphasizes design over size with its thoughtfully planned spaces and views, carefully considered natural lighting, and durable yet warm material palette.

Project Team: Robert Hutchison, Scott Claassen, Wenjing Zhang
Greenwater, WA, Completed 2015
Structural Engineer: Swenson Say Faget
General Contractor: Owner
Steel Fireplace Fabrication: Dovetail General Contractors
Photography: Mark Woods