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Olson Kundig creates floating Water Cabin in Seattle's Portage Bay
Knotty cedar and galvanised steel were used to form a two-storey, floating home by US firm Olson Kundig that draws upon cabin architecture.
The Water Cabin is located in Seattle's Portage Bay, just south of the University of Washington. It serves as a full-time residence for a client who previously rented a floating house in the area and decided to build his own home there when a lot became available.
The Water Cabin floats on Seattle's Portage Bay
Designed by local firm Olson Kundig, the building is intended to offer "a cabin sensibility in an urban environment".
In particular, it draws upon design principal Jim Olson's personal cabin in rural Washington, which features rectilinear volumes, overhanging roofs and a subdued colour palette.
Its living space opens onto a terrace
The floating home is also designed to provide a strong connection to the bay, which is part of a canal connecting the Puget Sound to Lake Washington.
"Small in stature, the home creates a platform from which to enjoy and engage with the surrounding waterway," the team said.
The home has a horizontal stature
The building consists of two levels, with the upper one stepping back to create a "sense of refuge". The recess also allowed for a 100-square-foot (9.3-square-metre) terrace.
Flat, overhanging roofs shade patios and large stretches of glass. Visually speaking, the roofs contribute to the home's low, horizontal stature.
Olson Kundig added glass windows with sweeping views
"The horizontal lines of the building echo the flat plane of the lake in an effort to make it one with the site," said Olson.
Given the home's location, the team chose exterior materials that are low-maintenance and can hold up in a marine environment.
Warm wooden tones contrast with metal finishes in silver and black tones
The structural system is made of galvanized steel, and facades are clad in knotty western red cedar that was lightly stained.
"The siding's thin, vertical wood slats are arranged in an irregular articulated pattern, recalling the random composition of trees in a forest," the team said.
The floating home's cosy interior takes cues from forest cabins
Inside, the 1,580-square-foot (147-square-metre) home offers all the key living elements. "There are strict restrictions on the size and dimensions of floating homes," said Olson. "Our client wanted to make the best use of every inch."
The lower level encompasses an open space for lounging, dining, cooking and working. There also is a hidden Murphy bed for guests.
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A glazed corner and large, sliding doors enable the interior to flow onto a patio with ipe wood decking. A window-lined staircase – which serves as a light well – leads to the top floor, where the team placed a bedroom suite.
Like the lower level, floor-to-ceiling glass provides sweeping views of the watery terrain and diminishes the boundary between inside and out.
Floor-to-ceiling glass provides views of the watery terrain
Materials within the home include knotty cedar, oak and birch. Warm wooden tones are contrasted with metal finishes in silver and black tones.
Overall, the home is intended to feel cosy and intimately tied to its surroundings, similar to a cabin in the forest.
"This informal, low-contrast interior supports a sense of the home as an oasis, despite its location in a bustling community," the team said.
Flat, overhanging roofs shade patios and large stretches of glass
Other floating homes in Seattle's Portage Bay include a compact dwelling by Studio DIAA that features a dark exterior and a light-toned interior.
The photography is byAaron Leitz.
Project credits:
Architect: Olson Kundig
Project team: Jim Olson (design principal), Jason Roseler (project manager), Betty Huang, Christine Burkland, Eunice Kim and Hunter Van Bramer
General contractor: Dyna Contracting
Structural engineer: Voelker Engineering
Lighting design: Brian Hood
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AIA reveals winners of 2022 Architecture Awards
The American Institute of Architects has named 11 winners of its 2022 Architecture Awards, which include Olson Kundig's Space Needle renovation, Kieran Timberlake's US Embassy in London and Diller Scofidio + Renfro's The Shed.
Aiming to "celebrate the best contemporary architecture" designed by US architects, this year's AIA Architecture Awards winners include projects that were completed as far back as 2017 due to the impact of Covid.
The Shed was one of 11 winning projects. Photo is by Iwan Baan
The winning projects can be located anywhere in the world, but the only project not in the US to win was Kieran Timberlake's US embassy in London.
Completed in 2017, the glass cube on the banks of the Thames river sparked controversy in 2018 when former president Donald Trump cancelled his visit to open the building.
According to the AIA, the "embassy embodies the country's relationship with the United Kingdom and the central tenets of democracy".
Olson Kundig's renovation of the Space Needle also won an award. Photo is by Hufton+Crow
Another extremely high-profile project to win an award was The Shed in New York, which was designed by by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Rockwell Group.
Built as part of the city's Hudson Yards development, the building was named one of the world's 100 greatest places of 2019 by Time magazine.
The renovation of Seattle landmark the Space Needle by Olson Kundig was also recognised.
The Menil Drawing Institute by Johnston Marklee was one of several educational projects to win awards. The photo is by Richard Barnes
Alongside these landmark structures, four educational facilities were recognised. The Menil Drawing Institute in Houston by Johnston Marklee, noteworthy for its multiple courtyards and steel roof, and the Marine Education Center at the University of Southern Mississippi by Lake|Flato both won awards.
The Billerica Memorial High School by Perkins & Will and the Home building at the Thaden School designed by EskewDumezRipple were also among 2022's winners.
Andlinger Center for Energy & The Environment was another winner. Photo is by Michael Moran
Several projects designed to focus on sustainability were also named winners. These include the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology by Miller Hull Partnership in collaboration with Lord Aeck Sargent and the Andlinger Center for Energy & The Environment by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects in New Jersey.
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The final winners were the Owsley Brown II History Center by de Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop and Deborah Berke Partners's transformation of Richardson Omsted Campus in Buffalo into a boutique hotel.
The Marine Education Center was a winner that crosses education and environmentalism. Photo is by Casey Dunn
The AIA was founded in 1857 and includes more than 200 chapters that advocate for excellence in architecture and work towards public policy.
In 2019 the AIA began using a new set of criteria for evaluating structures called the Framework for Design Excellence. According to the AIA, this framework presents a "holistic approach addressing the interdependence among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment".
Previous winners of the AIA Architecture Awards include Patkau Architects Inc. and Beyer Blinder Belle.
The main photo of the US Embassy is by Richard Bryant.
The post AIA reveals winners of 2022 Architecture Awards appeared first on Dezeen.
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