Introducing CAST’s Infill Housing Toolkit: We put together recent, current, and future projects to showcase strategies and case studies for abundant housing infill development.
Site Typologies
Constrained Lots
Typical Infill Lots
Large, Assembled Lots
Design Features
Single Stair
Stacked Flats
Low-Energy Design
Low-Carbon Building
Diverse Unit Mix
Open Space
The Kirkland Cedar Cottage shines. It has an extremely efficient footprint that provides well daylit living space, necessary storage, flexibility, and a covered outdoor living area.
Bathed in natural light, a generous central area includes the kitchen, dining, and living spaces. The cottage is accessible with one-level living, flush entry thresholds and flooring transitions, a galley kitchen, and a generous entry that connects the spaces.
Carefully placed large windows and glass entry doors flood the area with light that bounces off the white walls to make it feel larger than its square footage. The open glass doors and deep eaves create a vibrant indoor/outdoor living experience.
Square feet: 467
Green Design: Energy-efficient heating, cooling, and water heating systems, passive solar heat gain in window/shading, all LED lighting, low VOC recycled and renewable materials, and no fossil fuel use appliances.
Interior Designer: Jayne Douglas Design
Builder: NW Finishing
Photos: Kara Mercer
This cottage was recently featured in Kirkland Lifestyle.
RiversMeet, a mixed-use project in the town of Winthrop in Washington’s Methow Valley, is positioned to become the upvalley entrance to “old downtown.” The site is a challenging set of narrow parcels overlooking the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers.
RiversMeet is envisioned as a template for how buildings can work within Winthrop's westernization code while striving for high levels of sustainability and providing more inclusive housing options.
The program will provide two 2-bedroom residential units overlooking the river, with approximately 1,870 SF of pedestrian-level retail space. The second floor incorporates 1,870 SF of office space. The second floor incorporates 1,870 SF of office space, continuing the client’s tradition of renting below market rate to community non-profit businesses.
GREEN DESIGN
1. Concrete mix uses fly ash, reducing use of higher-carbon cement
2. Low-Carbon Foamed Glass Aggregate replaces typical underslab foam board insulation
3. Gutex wood fiber exterior board insulation
4. Low-Carbon Wildfire Resistance Strategy:
- Wood siding treated with a non-toxic solution that provides fire resistance without the high carbon penalty of fiber cement
- Exterior sprinkler system
- Fiber cement siding reduced to areas where it's most effective
5. FSC-certified wood framing package
6. High-efficiency all-electric heat pump space heating
7. High-efficiency heat pump water heating
8. Solar array
TEAM
Client: Peter Goldman and Martha Kongsgaard
Architect: CAST architecture
Builder: North Star Construction Company www.Northstarbuilds.Com
Civil & Structural: DCG, now Facet www.dcgengr.com
Electrical: TFWB tf-wb.com
Environmental: Grette www.gretteassociates.com
Geotech: Geoengineers www.geoengineers.com/
Mechanical: Ecotope www.ecotope.com
Survey: Tackman www.tackmansurveying.com
ECHO, a 10-unit apartment building in the Eastlake neighborhood of Seattle, is now a Design Certified PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) Core 2021 project.
This apartment building will replaces a single-family structure in this residential urban village, adding missing-middle housing. It utilizes the stacked flats concept which pushes the bounds of the single-family envelope but maintains an urbanism-friendly street frontage.
The two homes on the ground floor are both fully accessible. And, the top two units have high ceilings with lofted sleeping areas.
High-performance design elements include: thermal control, airtightness and moisture control, balanced ventilation, and high-performance glazing.
TEAM
Developer: West Crescent Advisors, LLC, Nancy Melton
Architect: CAST
Passive House Institute US: @passivehouseinstituteus
Builder: Carrig Construction @carrig_construction
Project Consultant: Woodworth Construction Management LLC, Lydia Anne, @woodworth_built
Civil Engineer: Davido Consulting Group, Inc. @dcgengr
Structural Engineer: Harriott Valentine Engineers @harriottvalentine
Mechanical Engineer: Ecotope @ecotope_inc
Envelope Consultant: B.E.E Consulting, LLC
Electrical Engineer: TFWB Engineers, Inc
Windows: Alpen Windows – Passive House Certified
Landscape Architect: @karenkiestlandscapearchitects
Arborist: Moss Studio
Geotechnical Engineer: PanGEO, Inc.
Surveyor: Terrane @terranesurveying
Third party verifier: Balderston Associates
ON THE BOARDS - METHOW VALLEY’S RIVERSMeet WINTHROP proposed MIXED-USE BUILDING
RiversMeet, a proposed mixed-use project in the town of Winthrop in Washington’s Methow Valley, is positioned to become the upvalley entrance to “old downtown.” The site is a challenging set of narrow parcels overlooking the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers.
CAST’s client, Peter Goldman, as part of his development proposal, intends to request the town make zoning changes to allow for long-term rentals in the commercial district. RiversMeet is envisioned as a template for how buildings can work within Winthrop's westernization code while striving for high levels of sustainability and providing more inclusive housing options.
The program will provide two 2-bedroom residential units overlooking the river, with approximately 1,870 SF of pedestrian-level retail space. The second floor incorporates 1,870 SF of office space. The second floor incorporates 1,870 SF of office space, continuing the client’s tradition of renting below market rate to community non-profit businesses.
Team
Client: Peter Goldman and Martha Kongsgaard
Architect: CAST architecture
Builder: North Star Construction Company www.Northstarbuilds.Com
Civil & Structural: DCG www.dcgengr.com
Electrical: TFWB tf-wb.com
Environmental: Grette www.gretteassociates.com
Geotech: Geoengineers www.geoengineers.com/
Mechanical: Ecotope www.ecotope.com
Survey: Tackman www.tackmansurveying.com
New Sitka Cottage: 3-bedroom DADU
At 1,000 net square feet, the Sitka Cottage features three bedrooms and two baths upstairs, an open living room and kitchen, storage, and an additional powder room tucked away on the first floor. It fits flexibly on many sites with a walk-out terrace off the living room/kitchen. The three bedrooms upstairs are reasonably sized and work well for a family. Standard, wood-frame construction, vented shed roof, slab-on-grade foundation, careful placement of windows, and a simple exterior allow for low-cost construction without sacrificing durability, function, or style.
The design is under the height limit and can fit on standard to small lots, around trees, or on sloped lots, with space for adjacent parking if desired. The cottage can be oriented toward the principal residence for multi-generational living around a courtyard. The front door is on the corner and can be placed on either the short or long side of the design, depending on site orientation.
The design targets 4-Star Built Green, with details for reduced air infiltration, energy-efficient heating, cooling and water heating systems, passive solar heat gain in window/shading in summer, low-VOC finishes, no fossil fuel appliances, and all LED lighting.
See more at CASTcottages.com
Cross-Laminated Timber Berm House in Washington's Methow Valley
The Berm House is a private residence that doubles as the common house and gathering space for a 19 house mixed-income community in Washington’s Methow Valley. The house is set into the landscape, with a panoramic view of the farmland down valley, but hidden from the road by a berm that ramps up onto and across the roof.
The south-facing building orientation optimizes winter solar exposure coupled with large overhangs to protect from snowfall and the intense summer sun. The home is post and beam structure with a cross-laminated timber (CLT) roof prefabricated in northeastern Washington. The design incorporates Passive House principles including managing seasonal heat gain from solar exposure, advanced air sealing, and mechanical ventilation. Thermal bridges are minimized by wrapping the house in continuous external insulation, including structural EPS under the foundation, isolating the home from outdoor temperature swings. The earthen roof adds thermal mass, wildfire protection, and a promontory to take in the down valley vista.
The great room portion of the house was designed for friends and neighbors to gather, share meals, and be a social center for the community. Off the great room, a five-foot wide hall leads to three guest suites and the primary suite. The uncomplicated and efficient floor plan shows a clear division between the private and public spaces. The mechanical room, pantry, storage, guest bath, and laundry spaces are arranged along the berm side of the house’s section.
The material palette is predominately warm woods. The CLT ceiling and glulam posts and beams were manufactured nearby, and a coffee table and kitchen bar were crafted locally from a fir tree felled on the property. The exterior employs the Japanese shou sugi ban preservation technique. The boulders throughout the site and as part of the berm were pulled from the site and placed by the owner.
Team
Owner: Lee Whittaker
Methow Housing Trust
Architect: CAST architecture
Contractor: Methow Valley Builders
CLT: Vaagen Timbers
Concrete subcontractor: JR’s Five Star Concrete
Geotechnical Engineering: GeoEngineers
See more here.
Hawthorne Hills Three:
Single-family residence, ADU & DADU
This project renovates an existing home and adds an attached accessory dwelling unit (AADU), and a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) to thoughtfully develop this single-family home into three rental units in the desirable Hawthorne Hills neighborhood of Seattle. It brings forward a model of urban density, providing much needed ‘missing middle’ housing. The exterior of the two buildings is unified in onyx-grey fiber cement siding with cedar accent areas. The home is 4-Star BuiltGreen certified.
The main home, with three bedrooms at 1,150SF, is renovated for modern living. The kitchen features three skylights that maximize natural light and brighten the core of the home. The original warm oak floors were refinished and unify the spaces.
The 410SF AADU takes advantage of the original house’s slightly set back position on the lot to build a new unit to the front and side setback. The entry opens to the bright kitchen and living space. Within the compact footprint, a hallway through the utility room leads to the bathroom and a separate bedroom.
The backyard cottage is a 1000SF two-story home. Situated on the lot for privacy, a private walkway leads to the front door. The DADU boasts three bedrooms with vaulted ceilings on the top floor. Downstairs, a generous great room and kitchen with expansive glass doors open to the patio and private backyard. The efficient, open plan and bonus storage add to the versatility of the home.
See more here.
TEAM
Builder: Cadre General Contractors
Civil: Davido Consulting Group/Watershed
Survey: Terrane
Structural Engineer: Owen Gould
GeoTechnical: Cobalt GeoSciences
Andersen Windows & Doors
Photography: Peter Bohler
New tribal Hatchery & Beach Shelter
At the beach at Point Julia on land occupied by the tribe since time immemorial, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s Hatchery and Beach Shelter combines pragmatic uses with symbolic content. Salmon fishing is central to the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s traditional identity and its contemporary outlook. The new 1,800 SF two-story building accommodates both office and utility space for the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s salmon hatchery program, along with a separate open-air structure used by the Tribe’s commercial fishing operations. This project recognizes the cultural importance of both the place—a focal point of their history—and the program, while providing solutions to allow these activities to flourish in the 21st century.
The lower level of the Hatchery houses a garage, maintenance shop, and egg-incubation room with equipment that is both durable and moveable. The upper floor contains offices, water-quality testing, and filtration equipment. The conference room on the southwest corner can be entered separately, accessible to the wider community.
The new hatchery forms a gateway to the beach from the landward side, and the beach shelter is the Tribe’s front door on the sea. It will provide a work area for fishermen who pull their boats onto the beach and will also provide recreation space for the community. On the beach between the two structures, the native landscape is being restored, along with traditional edible and medicinal plants, and salt-tolerant erosion control plantings.
See more here.
TEAM
Owner: Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
Architecture: CAST architecture
Photography: Lara Swimmer
Contractor: Pacific Civil & Infrastructure
Geo-tech: Robinson Noble
Structural: Swenson Say Faget
MEP: Glumac
Civil: Cannon
Landscape Architect: Pacific Landscape Architecture
Windows: Jeld-Wen
Archeologist: Willamette Cultural Resources
Survey: AES Consultants
Intake System Engineer: Kleinschmidt Group
Specifications: Applied Building Information
Art/light installation: S’Klallam artist Jimmy Price
Conference table / Entry bench: Craig Kohring