The second modular home at 100th Street is getting installed today! Just how much is done offsite in the factory? As much as possible!  

 Construction on the Saratoga Residence is proceeding very well, and the overall massing is taking shape.  We should have the rest of the steel installed in the next couple of weeks, then all the back up framing can be removed an we'll really be able to show off the open plan, but for now here is a view of the future garden in foreground and mudroom:

A vacation retreat in Mazama Washington that emphasizes a seamless flow between the indoors and outdoors, clean lines, and an indestructible materials pallet. After a long summer of groundwork and extensive concrete formwork the framing has begun - the Sun Meadow Escape is taking shape!

View of the northwest corner of the home. A large covered patio adjacent to the public areas of the home allows activities to flow seamlessly from the indoors to the outdoors.

A private master suite at the southeast corner nestles up against the adjacent aspen grove.

I am building a little painting studio in my backyard, and wanted to try out 'shou-sugi-ban,' a traditional japanese technique of burning the wood siding to create a thin charcoal layer to protect the wood, in lieu of staining/painting.

I tied three boards together in a triangle with baling wire, and stood the bundles on a small fire.  The fire wicks up the inside of the bundle after about a minute, with flames coming out of the top after about two minutes.  I then flipped the bundle, burnt from the other end for another 30-45 seconds.

Once I had the surface fully burnt, I laid them down, clipped the wire and extinguished the fire.  I had to use a blow torch to touch up the areas along the edge that didn't get charred.  I have seen some people use a roofer's torch to blacken the surface, then brush off the soot and apply Penofin, but I wanted the full charcoal layer.

And here is the shed with the siding up!

It was a bit of an adventure to maneuver the 8' planks while they are on fire, and messy to deal with (since I kept the charcoal layer intact), but I love the texture and the way it shifts between silver and black in the light.

If you are interested in urban agriculture and would like to share your ideas to shape the Rainier Beach Urban Farm, please join us Saturday, July 28th from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm for an open event to discuss the project!  Stay for the community picnic or just get your hands dirty during the drop-in work party every Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

We've been working on a house on the shores of Lake Washington near Seward Park. It will feature some fantastic window walls, plenty of outdoor living space, and an interior bridge over the living room/entry to connect the dual suites upstairs.  More to come!...

In collaboration with Seattle Tilth, the Friends of R.B.U.F.W., and the Berger Partnership, CAST will be designing an urban farm in Seattle.  The site is a former municipal nursery in Rainier Beach--10 acres of mostly wetland with some hoop houses at the north end.  We'll be undertaking the challenge to not only make a model for urban agriculture, we'll also be greatly increasing the ecological function of the wetlands.

This project is in one of the most diverse zip codes in the nation, and we'll be involving the community to shape the design, as well as creating facilities for small scale commercial farmers, entrepreneurs, and other programs such as Seattle Youth Garden Works.  The hope is to make a community hub centered on growing and sharing food.

The first community design meeting is June 19th on site (time TBD).  Please come and share your vision with us!

We helped out a great organization, Orphans to Ambassadors with a pro bono design and donation for a chicken coop to help feed 423 orphans at the Institute for Women's Excellence in Rwanda.  During the month of May, they build the coop, some rocket stoves, and some rainwater harvesting projects for this and other orphanages in the area.  Great work!

Hopefully, we'll have the chance to help out with more their future projects!

Please support them with a donation!

Great News--We won the 2012 BEST SMALL HOUSE AWARD from Fine Homebuilding magazine. They did a very nice video (link) with interviews of our awesome clients.   The Widner's DADU has been covering in our blog before (here and here).

We've just about wrapped up another project we're really excited about, the Anderson Residence. All that remains is a stretch of sunny weather long enough to allow the painters to finish up the exterior painting (we've had some nice sunny days this spring but not too many in a row).

The Anderson residence is a second story addition and first floor renovation of a 1940's home that transformed a traditional divided plan into a contemporary open plan filled with natural light.

The new design simplifies and streamlines the first floor, while the new second floor provides additional space for a growing family. The dining room is a light filled double height space with an adjacent floating stairway that creates a visual center for the home.

A combination of Japanese inspired detailing with modern ideas about living and space permeate the home.

The Contractor, Model Remodel, did a fantastic job from framing to details and undertook all the legwork required to achieve a 4 star Built Green certification. I would like to send out a big thank you to the clients, the contractor and all the individuals who have contributed to this fantastic home.

Contractor: Model Remodel / www.modelremodel.com Photos: Tim Matsui / www.timmatsui.com