Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects

Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade, GardenPortage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Interior Photography, Chair, BeamPortage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, FacadePortage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, FacadePortage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - More Images+ 34

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Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Aaron Leitz

Text description provided by the architects. Tucked into a small city lot along the water’s edge, the house was designed to live like a studio loft for a bachelor who values privacy, a central location to reside in the city, and a convenient spot to park the floatplane. Hidden from the street, the building is a protective shell of zinc and aluminum – a refined version of the maritime industrial sheds found throughout the waterfronts of Seattle.

Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Aaron Leitz

Water-side, the house becomes more transparent, with prospect-views over the houseboats of Portage Bay, the University of Washington, and the Cascade Mountains. Living, cooking, and sleeping all occur in one volume distributed over two-floor levels, sized and shaped to envelop the occupant in a protective refuge.

Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Aaron Leitz
Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade, Garden
© Aaron Leitz

The kitchen is small and streamlined with equipment paired down to the essentials. Bathing happens in a below-grade spa or a master bath with a Japanese style hinoki tub overlooking the lake.

Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Interior Photography, Countertop, Kitchen, Table, Chair, Beam
© Aaron Leitz
Floor plan
Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Table, Chair, Beam
© Aaron Leitz

An interior palette of cedar, walnut, flagstone, blackened steel, and marble stands in contrast to the machine-like character of the exterior. Site constraints, and the modest needs of a bachelor, generated a one-bedroom residence smaller in size and lower in height than the house it replaced.

Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Door, Beam, Glass, Facade, Windows, Handrail, Balcony
© Aaron Leitz

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About this office
Cite: "Portage Bay House / Heliotrope Architects" 16 May 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/938106/portage-bay-house-heliotrope-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

© Aaron Leitz

西雅图临港私宅 / Heliotrope Architects

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