More Views

This project began with the owner falling in love with a three-acre site atop Mercer Island, featuring ravines on all sides and views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier. Only a small section of the property consisted of usable land, and the soil was in very poor structural condition. The owner asked that we build the house to a 200-year specification (similar to a lodge that may be found in a National Park), which took us into a whole other level of design engineering.

There was an issue that the site might not support the house, so we consulted geotechs and structural engineers to determine how to build the home. The geotech required an augercast or another similar system to support the home, and our value engineer determined that the most affordable solution was a floating structural foundation slab for the entire home. The slab was engineered to be 24 inches thick, with a mountain of steel reinforcing.

The site requirements also involved significant issues of drainage and water management so that water would be released into the ravine at an exceptionally slow rate. Solving this issue required an extremely large detention tank underneath the driveway.

Construction of the house itself brought up numerous structural issues, including significant amounts of steel that would be needed to achieve the architect’s spectacular design. A radial wall that required an elaborate steel structure was built on the view side of the home for a window wall. The entry is also radial, with a large steel beam that comes out to support the conical roof. The steel was hidden in the walls, and one beam was even encapsulated in the timber framing. Timber framers were hired to install all of the elaborate timberwork and joinery.

The owner wanted her children and grandchildren to have a private place to stay for extended periods of time, and so she requested that an area of the home be developed that would function seamlessly and separately, affording complete privacy. This goal was met by including a complete kitchen and utility in the lower floor. The lower level is truly a grand place for family and grandkids, even boasting a built-in puppet theater. For the outdoor environment, we completely redid the ravine and created a park-type setting for the kids to play on several pathways.

The success of this effort was recognized when this home was selected as Home of the Year in the Seattle Homes and Lifestyles magazine.

Awards

• Seattle Homes and Lifestyles, "Home of the Year", September issue