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Capitol Hill Residence
for Sturman Architects
richardwilson.com.au/projects/CapitolHill/
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Project & Brief
Richard Wilson's role for the Capitol Hill Residence was as Project Architect for Sturman Architects. This was an extension to an existing two-storey Arts & Crafts style residence in Seattle, Washington. The Client had acquired the neighbouring property, most of which was approximately one floor level lower than the original house, and wished to expand across both sites. These differences in land elevation provided some big challenges along with some interesting opportunities.
Design Solution
On the ground floor of the original dwelling, the kitchen, dining, and living rooms were extended, and the front porch was reconfigured to provide a new covered entry. At the rear of the house, a new stairway led from a patio outside the main living area down to a newly created lawn. This lawn had been raised from its original height to an intermediate level which would better relate to the house and allow the parents to watch their children while at play.
A second stairway then led further downhill to a new paved garden area located adjacent to but significantly below the front yard. A part of the basement floor was then lowered to create an additional lounge which could now open out to the new garden.
Finally, a detached garage with a connected studio workspace was located still further downhill. Here it would create a boundary to the garden, shield views from the street, and allow distant views over it to a forest preserve even further down the hillside.