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Location: Seattle
Project size: 750 square feet

Program: Among the large and stately homes of North Capitol Hill in Seattle, a modest bungalow sits on a narrow lot surrounded by houses on the north and south and an apartment building to the west. The intimate, leftover interstice between became the context for Studio Ea, a detached accessory dwelling unit designed by Seattle-based architect Anthony Pellecchia. The client’s brief called for a space where she could paint and, on occasion, provide lodging for her Danish family during visits.

Design Solution: To minimize the impact on the main house, the architect treated the project as a free-standing addition rather than an expansion. The initial parti envisioned a simple two-story massing with public functions—the painting studio, storage, bathroom, and kitchen—on the main level and a sleeping loft above. A glazed base, with Douglas fir frames and entry portal, is topped by an abstract composition of white planar surfaces that appear as site elements rather than building walls. The placement of garden trellises and privacy walls creates a series of spaces that extend from the studio’s ground floor—an effect heightened when the corner of the unit is opened by activating the sliding glass panels.

Studio Ea by Anthony Pellecchia Architect

Photo © Katherine Wesselman

Studio Ea responds to the client’s needs, and those of her guests, by offering a degree of flexibility that enhances functionality. Details celebrate an ‘either-or’ quality—for example, movable storage units in the loft also serve as guardrails. The reveals between birch-ply panels are designed to accommodate hardware for hanging artwork and adjustable lighting. Lastly, a paneled wall that conceals a closet can be positioned to separate the kitchen from the painting area.

Structure and Materials: The structure consists of sawn-lumber framing spanning to engineered lumber and steel beams, supported on stud bearing walls and conventional concrete foundations. Steel moment-resisting frames ensure an open character. White corrugated metal panels clad the upper level, which is capped by a green roof. The courtyard features crushed white granite and, where paths are denoted, poured-in-place concrete. Interior walls are lined with birch plywood and a custom stainless steel circular stair connects the two floors.

Additional Information
Completion date: September 2023
Site size: .11 acres
Total construction cost: Withheld
Client/Owner: Ea Lilja

Studio Ea by Anthony Pellecchia Architect

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Photos © Katherine Wesselman

Studio Ea by Anthony Pellecchia Architect

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Studio Ea by Anthony Pellecchia Architect

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Studio Ea by Anthony Pellecchia Architect

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Images courtesy Anthony Pellecchia Architect; click to enlarge

Credits

Architect
Anthony Pellecchia Architect
1922 Federal Ave. East
Seattle, WA 98102
206.941.4072
anthonypellecchia.com

Project team
Architect: Anthony Pellecchia

Engineer
Structural: Harriott Valentine Engineers

General Contractor
SBE Construction

Photographer
Kateherine Wesselman

Specifications

Exterior Cladding
Metal panels: AEP SPAN White Corrugated Metal
Wood: Douglas fir
Moisture barrier: Hydrogap

Roofing
Elastomeric: John Manville 60 mil TPO roofing membrane
Other: Live Roof for green roof

Windows
Wood frame: Stile

Doors
Entrances: Custom Douglas fir pivot door

Hardware
Locksets: Karcher Design Kd Comfort
Other special hardware: Rixson for pivot door

Interior Finishes
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Birch multi-ply
Paints and stains: Milesi Wood Coatings, Benjamin Moore
Paneling: Birch multi-ply
Plastic laminate: Formica
Floor and wall tile: Daltile

Lighting
Interior ambient lighting: WAC recessed and track
Tasklighting: AJ floor lamp, Arne Jacobsen
Exterior: PH Wall lamp, Poul Heningsen; Flindt, garden bollards
Dimming system or other lighting controls: Lutron

Furnishings
Chairs: Ant, Arne Jacobsen; Swan, Arne Jacobsen; Shell, Hans Wegner; Dot stool, Arne Jacobsen; Bensen bench
Tables: Dining table, Saarinen; PK61 coffee table, Paul Kjaerholm

Plumbing
Faucets: Vola
Sinks: Duravit, Elkay

Energy
Additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project: Radiant floors, Rais gas stove