A storefront from the early 1900s, which had served as a drugstore and soda fountain, is converted into a live/work space for a couple in the real-estate business.

Design concept and solution: modeled after the modern equivalent of a traditional courtyard house, a new 1,600-square-foot live/work residence centers around a large skylight placed over the living and dining—the “courtyard”—areas. The client, who is disabled, wanted the design of the project to serve as the primary focus rather than requirements for accessibility. Entering from the sidewalk, a polished concrete slab provides unrestricted wheelchair access to the main living area. At the rear of the site, the office is raised up four steps to be flush with the sidewalk to satisfy the client’s desire to “commute” to work around the perimeter of the building. Within the space, a multi-functional area was created using pivot and pocket doors, steel plate “blinders” that hide the kitchen functions, and concealed media equipment that swings out for use. A floating concrete countertop that steps from low to high accommodates disparate height requirements of the clients. Closet walls behind compositions of paneled wood, benches with flip-up tops, and linear wall-to-wall cabinets provide convenient storage. A wood-clad service core separates the interior courtyard from the entry and contains the kitchen and a powder room. On the opposite side of the courtyard, the master suite has a clerestory window of unobstructed glass that brings sunlight into the rooms.

The project’s interior configurations provides the owners with comfortable rooms that easily expand or contract according to their needs, and give them a very short commute to work.

Total construction cost:
$353,347

Architect:
Tyler Engle Architects
2126 Westlake Ave.
Seattle, Washington 98121
T: 206.621.7150
F: 206.621.7754
www.tylerengle.com