Mercer Island, Washington

In designing this 6,700-square-foot residence (and an 800-square-foot guest house), the architects faced the challenge of an extremely steep, long, and narrow site, accompanied by strict height requirements. Hutchison & Maul placed the house midway down the sloping site, providing easy access to the garage, and affording panoramic views west towards Seattle and the Olympic mountains beyond.

By locating the primary living spaces below down the hill, they could grant privacy to the owners. A large exterior courtyard carved into the hillside brings daylight to these living areas. This level has expansive floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that provide access to the subterranean courtyard and covered exterior deck. A smaller atrium, this one glazed, functions as part of the entrance courtyard.

Horizontal cedar siding contrasts with the smooth concrete retaining walls. A restrained interior and exterior material palette fulfilled the client’s request for uncluttered spaces.

The guest house, at the bottom of the site along the shoreline, is elevated to create a covered exterior patio below the living spaces. Flat‐seam copper cladding serves the multiple roles of soffit, siding, and roofing.

People

Location: Mercer Island, WA

Completion Date: Spring 2008

Gross square footage: 6,700 SF (Residence), 800 SF (Guest House)

Architect:
Hutchison & Maul Architecture
4010 Whitman Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98103
T: 206.545.1991
hutchmaul.com

Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:
Robert Hutchison RA, Tom Maul RA
Project Team: Joyce Puri, Brian McWatters, Dustin Stephens

Architect of record: Hutchison & Maul Architecture

Interior Design: Hutchison & Maul Architecture

Engineer(s):
Structural Engineer: Jeff Albert

Mechanical Engineer: Steven Rainbow

Consultant(s):
Landscape Architect: Alchemie

Lighting: Hutchison & Maul Architecture

A/V Consultant: Isaiah Vering

Furniture Selection: Hutchison & Maul Architecture, Julie Petri

Furniture Coordination/Purchasing: Kathy Hanway

General contractor: EH Construction

Photographer(s):
Eduardo Calderon, Photographer, (425) 823-8242
Alan Abramowitz, Photographer, (206) 621-0710
Alex Hayden, Photographer, (206) 381-1300
Hutchison & Maul Architecture, Robert Hutchison, 206-545-1991

CAD system, project management, or other software used: AutoCAD 2005 LT

 

Products

Structural system
Foundation System: Auger-cast steel piles, Cast-in-place concrete retaining walls

Structural System: Braced steel frame, concrete over composite metal decking, wood infill wall framing, TJI wood roof framing (Residence), SIPS Roof Panels (Guest House)

Exterior cladding
Metal Panels:
Residence: AEP-Span Span-Lok Metal Roofing Panels, Color Zaqtique

Guest House: Custom flat-seam copper siding system & standing seam copper roofing system, manufactured & installed by McKinstry, Seattle WA

Rainscreen:
Custom Wood Siding Rainscreen System (Residence), Cedar supplied & milled by LS Cedar, Vashon WA

Custom Metal Siding Rainscreen System (Guesthouse), Flat-seam copper panels manufactured & installed by McKinstry, Seattle WA

Precast concrete:
Custom pre-cast concrete site pavers, manufactured by Puget Sound Precast, Tacoma WA

Wood: Custom cedar wood siding system, Cedar supplied & milled by LS Cedar, Vashon WA

Roofing
Elastomeric: Sarnafil Sing-ply membrane

Metal: See Exterior Cladding above

Windows
Wood frame: Quantum Windows & Doors, Everett WA (Residence & Guest House)

Metal frame: Fleetwood Windows & Doors, CA (Residence)

Glazing
Glass: Supplied by McIntosh Glass, Seattle WA

Skylights: Custom manufactured by McKinstry, Seattle WA

Doors
Entrances: Fleetwood Windows & Doors (Residence), Quantum Windows & Doors (Guest House)

Wood doors: Interior custom solid-core wood door panels

Sliding doors: Interior custom solid-core wood door panels

Hardware
Locksets: FSB

Closers: FSB

Pulls: FSB

Security devices: FSB

Interior finishes
Acoustical ceilings: Custom maple wood ceiling, manufactured by Pacific Wood Systems

Suspension grid: Armstrong

Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: “Time” Varenna Kitchens, Poliform, California Closets

Paints and stains: Cabots (exterior wood stain)

Plastic laminate: Supplied and installed by Urban Ease, Seattle WA

Solid surfacing:
Residence Kitchen Island Countertop: Carrera Marble
Residence Kitchen Countertops: Custom Stainless Steel

Floor and wall tile:
Daltile 2x2 Ceramic Quarry Tile
Bisazza 1x1 Glass Mosaic Tile

Wood Flooring: Solid Maple Plank Flooring, 8” nominal plank widths, supplied & installed by Seattle Flooring, Seattle WA

Special interior finishes unique to this project:
Roller Shades: Lutron Shading Solution by VIMCO, Sivoia QED

Furnishings
Sofas & Chairs:
Formal Living Room Sofa: Long Island sectional, Flexform, Inform Interiors
Formal Living Room Chairs: ABC lounge chairs, Flexform, Inform Interiors
Formal Dining Room Chairs: Ornamo
Informal Dining Room Chairs: Fino leather & wood dining chairs, COR, Ornamo
Kitchen Bar Stools: “LEM”, Lapalma, Inform
Informal Living Room Sofa, Chairs: Magister Sofa, Flexform, Inform Interiors
Informal Living Room Chairs: “J.J” lounge chairs, B&B Italia, DIVA

Tables:
Formal Living Room Coffee Table: Artone Coffee Table, Poliform
Formal Dining Room Table: “Master 2”, Poliform
Informal Dining Room Table: Urban Hardwoods, Seattle WA

Rugs:
Formal Living Room: Deep tufted wool rug, Paola Lenti, Ornamo
Formal Dining Room: “Jumble” décor wool rug, Paola Lenti, Ornamo

Lamps:
Formal Living Room Floor Lamps: Dolmen & Baby Dolmen floor lamps, Ligne Roset

Formal Living & Dining Room Curtains: Caprice, Pollack, Custom made by Robert Emil Arnesen Inc., Seattle WA

Lighting
Formal Dining Room Pendant: Logico Sospensione 3 in Linea, Artemide

Informal Dining Room Pendant: Louis Poulsen PH5 Pendant Lamp

Downlights, Recessed floor lights: Deltalight

Task lighting: Artemide

Exterior Landscape: BK Lighting, Hinkley Afterhours

Exterior Water Feature Lighting: Vista, Hinkley Afterhours, Kichler

Exterior recessed wall: Bega, Deltalight, TAL

Dimming System or other lighting controls: Lutron

Conveyance
Elevators/Escalators: Elevator shaft was roughed in but not installed

Accessibility provision: Elevator shaft was roughed in but not installed

Plumbing
Kitchen Sinks:
Custom Stainless Steel, under-mounted

Kitchen Faucets:
Dornbracht Tara Classic

Bathroom Sinks:
Entry Bathroom: Antonio Lupi Bull, White
Master Bath: Agape CER750, White
All other Baths: Duravit Vero Wall-hung, White

Bathroom Faucets:
Dornbracht Tara Classic

Bathtubs:
Master Bath: Zuma In-floor Tub, C7236, White
Children’s Baths: Zuma C6030, White

Guest House Shower Pan: Duravit Stark, White

Bath & Shower Faucets/Sprays: Dornbracht Tara Classic

Toilets:
Toto Carolina, White

Energy
Energy management or building automation system:
Crestron supplemented by Lutron Low Voltage System

Add any additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project:
Cooktops: Miele
Dishwashers: Kuppersbush
Wall Ovens: Kuppersbush
Refrigerator: SubZero