Built in 1991, in Redmond, WA on the shores of Lake Sammamish, this contemporary one-story 4,400 square foot home of was designed to have a view from each room and a plan that circulated around the living room. Walking in the front door, through a gallery, the next thing you see is the living room. The living room is surrounded by a corridor that doubles as an art gallery with art displayed on the walls for a feeling of opulence. The living room is down two steps from the corridor to set it apart. To get to the other two main functions of the home you must walk around the living room. The master suite, office and bedrooms are located on one side. The family room, kitchen, and dining room are located on the other side.
The home is built as a contemporary series of cubic forms with flat roofs varying in height depending on the importance of the space. The living room was the tallest space with 14 foot ceilings, the family room was a little shorter with 12 foot ceilings, and the master bedroom was down to a 10 foot ceiling. Some of the lesser spaces were down to 8 foot ceilings. The ceiling heights weren't necessarily prioritized but set by the feeling of grandeur that you wanted to accomplish in the room. Throughout the home are steps up or down between the rooms for effect, but this is basically a single level home. Part of the appeal of the home is the 100 feet of lawn that goes down to the beach. Located on a point, the home has a 180 degree view, even being that far back from the water's edge.
There were two challenges arising from the building site. The site required building the home on pilings due to the instability of the ancient lake bottom adding an addition $58K to the cost of the home. Also, the home had to be designed as a phased construction plan so that the owner could move in before it was completed and exterior amenities could be build in sections over time. - Courtesy Baylis Brand Wagner
