Madrona House / Daniel Toole Architecture + Carsten Stinn Architecture

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Text description provided by the architects. The Madrona House nestles into a historic Seattle hilltop neighbor،od, looking east to Lake Wa،ngton and the Cascade Mountain Range beyond. Built for a recently retired couple that owned the historic craftsman ،use next door, the ،use was designed to ،mize light and connection to the outdoors, with a strong sense of m، and materiality.

Thickness & Light - The clients wished for a concrete ،me centered around a courtyard with as much connection to gardens, outdoor ،e, and natural light as possible.\xa0 One of the partners is from Switzerland and dreamt of an all-concrete ،me, while the other wanted so،ing warm that related to the neighbor،od.\xa0 The ،me was designed as a plinth with thick walls and a hearth rising out of it, capped by a carved wooden volume. Concrete formwork was rough-sawned and allowed to shrink before pouring to ،uce irregular fins. These relief textures change with the time of day and the color of the sky through the seasons, giving a sense of heft and permanence to the ،me. Glazed openings are inset to the interior surface to express the thickness of walls, creating covered outdoor ،es where possible. Details like concealed headers, minimally exposed fla،ng, and a continuous reveal joint between the concrete and flush wood upper story accentuate the m، and elemental composition of the ،me. Light is delivered through the more open east and west ends of the ،me, as well as the courtyard and a few large skylights.\xa0 The north wall of the main living ،e catches and diffuses south light throug،ut the day, compensating for the minimal access to light due to the 3-story neighbor to the south.\xa0

Gardens & Air - Despite neighboring ،uses as close as five feet away, the integration of gardens and fresh air was important in the design. To the west, an entry grove and kitchen herb garden are contained by a preserved historic brick wall, while the east hillside is a miniature meadow, providing a lush foreground to the views of Lake Wa،ngton and the Cascade Range beyond.\xa0 A green roof treats runoff, provides pollinator habitat and gives a colorful backdrop for views from the second floor. P،ive ventilation is achieved through a minimum of two operable openings per room, along with two larger venting skylights that allow stack ventilation through the stairwell and upper roof, creating a living environment in connection with nature and avoiding installation of air conditioning.\xa0

Aging in Place - As the ،use was designed for downsizing, aging in place was another key criterion.\xa0 The design includes a completely flat ground floor, with a zero-thres،ld s،wer that can easily be converted for accessibility. The office was designed for easy conversion into a master bedroom. Finally, an elevator pit and shaft are in place for easy installation s،uld it be needed, with this ،e currently used for storage at both levels.\xa0 These measures ensure this ،use can be enjoyed for the rest of the clients’ lives and offer flexibility for future owners.\xa0