Stefan Hampden is presenting a seminar on How to Select and Work with an Architect for the Seattle branch of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Need an Architect? AIA Seattle’s Saturday Seminar can help answer this and other FAQs about what architects and clients can achieve together, and how to get the best value for your investment. This seminar, presented by architects, gives those looking to build or remodel (projects big and small) the information and confidence they need to successfully choose and collaborate with an architectural professional.

To register, visit the Seattle AIA website...

CAST architecture is presenting a class on backyard cottages for the Phinney Neighborhood Association Looking for more space? How about a new guesthouse, studio or rental property? Learn more about Seattle's new citywide backyard cottage ordinance and what it could mean for your property. We will review the ordinance and outline how to budget, plan, permit and construct a cottage in your backyard.

We've done our first presentation of three ideas for the Sunset Substation Park.  More information about the three schemes are here, here, and here.

The solar component of this park will produce between 20 kW and 30kW, and provide power for the community multipurpose space, and an emergency relief center.

We're looking at meeting the Living Building Challenge, the highest standard for sustainable construction.  It would be a major undertaking, since there are less than a hundred structures in the world currently attempting to meet this challenge, but we have a lot of things going for us at this scale of project.  As the project develops, I'll keeping posting information on the Challenge--how it is affecting the design, and the costs.

We're working in concert with Bennett Custom Homes to design a series of houses which depart from the spec craftsman template that we see in current developments, heavily influenced by Asian design and courtyard houses. The Mitate House Collection is punctuated by gardens: the 'tsuboniwa' or pocket garden, a salad garden off the kitchen/outdoor cooking space, a four season porch, surround gardens that invigorate the side yards, and a water feature.  While we're designing for a more constricted and generic site, we imagine that the design will take more advantage of the specific site once we have one.

Each design will be loaded with green building features, have an enlarged 'shoebox' entry with space, loft, a carport that doubles as an outdoor room, and a covered spa area with outdoor shower.

We've come up with three alternative designs which will help Bennett bring some exciting ideas to the spec marketplace, and give people a new perspective about what is possible in a spec housing.

Here is the first of three designs:  the Cascabel

The house is a dialogue between solid and void spaces, where the house elements have been pulled apart to create gardens, covered outdoor spaces, habitable roof gardens and some dramatic interior spaces:

For more information and plans, jump below the fold:

First floor:

Second floor:

The design juxtaposes a boxy 2 story element with several low slung volumes split with a slot garden at the core of the house.  The house has a massive wall running the length of the house that becomes fireplace and storage, but is broken to create a two story atrium adjacent to the garden.

The house has a series of gardens beyond the 'tsuboniwa' (pocket garden)--a private courtyard adjacent to the guest suite, a salad garden for growing vegetables off the kitchen, a broad outdoor patio wrapped in planting, and a roof garden off the master bedroom.

For more information and plans, jump below the fold:

First floor:

Second floor:

The last in our Mitate House Collection for Bennett Custom Homes is the Sorrel.

Again, the heart of the design is a courtyard garden, which is bounded on one side by the open kitchen/dining/living room and the guest suite on the other. Large doors open each space to the garden.  Privacy is critical in most developments and by making the garden central, we are creating a private interior landscape, daylighting, and ventilation without compromising to shield the neighbors eyes.

For more information and plans, jump below the fold:

One the key elements to this design is that the pathway from entry to living spaces shifts, bridging across the garden, to create a emotional transition point from the outside world to the interior of the house, similar to the stone bridges you often see in Japanese gardens:

First floor:

Second floor:

We have been working with a couple who are planning on moving out of the original house, and into a new backyard cottage.  We're pushing the limits within the ordinance--almost exactly 800 square feet--in order to build a 2 bed room, bath and a half cottage. Although the house is small, the spaces inside feel just right.  And we'll be able to include a lot of high finish touches and crisp details because we aren't spending money on lots of square footage. Having a finite perimeter and volume really focuses the mind on the priorities of the design.

The character of the house the client's wanted is very craftsman and the scale and roofline fits right in with the neighborhood in general--certainly not the scary developer vision that opponents of the ordinance summoned during the public hearings.  It reinforces that these projects are for people with a vested interest in both their property and their neighborhood and are very sensitive to the impact on their neighbors.

Here is another view which shows off the walkout patio off the dining space, the entry mudroom and the band of windows that wrap the living room, dining and kitchen:

We are also going to integrate a rain water harvesting system, radiant floors on a super efficient combination boiler, vaulted ceiling upstairs, and a extra height crawlspace with a rat slab to make up for some of the storage space lost in the downsizing.  For floor plans, follow the jump below:

First floor plan:

Second floor plan:

I am giving a presentation with Kevin Spence, AIA this Saturday morning at the AIA's downtown office about the process of selecting and working with an architect.  If you have questions about the design process, costs, contracts, design-build, etc., this presentation is a comprehensive guide to getting the most out of the your custom design project. Here is a link to the AIA where you can sign up for the presentation. If you can't make it, but have questions, you can post them in the thread below and I'll respond...

We've completed the first community design workshop for the Sunset Substation pocket park and we've started a blog for the project at www.SunsetSubstation.org.  The results of the workshop are posted here and you can read a write up from the Ballard News tribune here and another article from KOMO's neighborhood blog here. Now that we have some community input, we can start shaping their unique goals for bringing solar power generation and community space together.

In other news, Stefan is working through designing a micro-hydroelectric generation station for an eco-retreat/outdoor recreation center and meditation retreat in Colorado, and should be posting an introduction to the project and more information about micro-hydro.  Suddenly, we have a lot of projects which have some active or passive alternative energy components--very exciting stuff.

Tim is leading the charge on backyard cottages.  We have two custom cottages currently in design, and another design which will be available as a prefab.  We're finalizing the pricing, so we will have a more comprehensive information available soon.

We're also working with a homebuilder  to develop a series of spec homes bases on a fusion of asian design, modern spaces and out of the norm materials (see image above).  We're especially excited because the house's function emphasizes a series of landscapes integrated into living spaces, so we'll have courtyards, pocket gardens, and salad gardens for growing your own vegetables off the kitchen.  Our big presentation is on Tuesday so I'll post the schematic renderings afterwards.

Finally, this is the last weekend to see our WASTE NOT installation in the alley east of First Avenue, south of Occidental Park.  Anyone need 2500 2 liter bottles?

While a bit delayed by seasonal colds, office deadlines, and the holidays - much appreciation to Tim and Diana for hosting a fantastic CAST dinner last night. Fun was had by all - with an especially enthusiastic kids table leading the charge. Further raising the culinary bar for our quarterly dinner - good food, wine and great company was enjoyed by all - thanks everyone!