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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.

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

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Photos © Katherine Wesselman

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Images courtesy Anthony Pellecchia Architect; click to enlarge