Built in 2002, on Mercer Island, WA on the shores of Lake Washington, this contemporary three-story 6,200 square foot curvy home was designed to mimic the shapes of the waves below. The structure is a very sturdy combination of cement and steel with some wood components. The wave form was continued into the interior of the home with many of the walls curved to mimic the feeling throughout.
The home was built on a challenging site that was on the market for 25 years because nobody could figure out how to build a home on it economically. The design had many engineering challenges due to the steepness of the site that added to the cost of the structure. It required a lot of creative exploration into the local codes and regulations to figure out how to fit a home onto the site and make it work structurally. The owners were looking for a three-car garage and 6,200 square feet of home. With the grade of the lot at almost 45 degrees, they ended up with a very tall and skinny home. Being a tower of a home, with the roof being the focus of the drive down the steep driveway, a typical flat roof wouldn't be very attractive. Therefore, it became a dominant element in the design of the home. The roof was designed to mimic the waves that were hitting the beach below and became a wave form roof sheathed in copper with 3 different levels.
The entry experience when you enter the home invites you to immediately descend some stairs to get to the main living level which is the middle floor. Therefore the stairway had to be dramatic and inviting. The stairs therefore are a dominate form in the interior design and take up a lot of square feet. They form an exciting three story, cavernous, elongated ellipse fronted completely with a glass wall showing off the view as you flow through the levels of the home. There is also an elevator built into the home for resale. The upper floor holds the master bedroom and the guest bedroom and the library. The living room, family room, dining room, and kitchen are all on the middle level. A unique element next to the kitchen is the glass homework room with French doors that can be opened to make the children feel part of the dinner preparation or shut to shield them from the sound of the television or the commotion in the family room.
