LAKE UNION HOUSE BOAT

the story

Seattle has been a haven for houseboats for over a hundred years. This area on Lake Union once sported rows and rows of small dwellings for the local workers, and this float had one of the last remaining wooden quonset huts. As charming as it was to look at, it lacked space, privacy and a decent ceiling height. The homeowners are a theatrical set director and a musician who after living there for a few years, began plans to build a dream home that could give them modern convenience, storage, and a feeling of spaciousness. The challenge of a small footprint meant that spaces needed to do double duty, such as an open office/studio that turns into a private guest room for visitors, and the bathroom that includes the laundry. Large windows bring in the northern light and the dancing reflections off the water. The water is the main event here, and the surrounding lake often invites them to visit neighbors and generally explore it in kayaks or in their vintage motor boat. 

project details