36 DIGS.NET
| 8.21.2020
P R O F I L E | H I D D E N H A V E N S
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PHOTOGRAPHS:
COURTESY
OF
ALEXANDER
CANARIA
AND
TAYLOR
PROCTOR
A vacation home with camp-out qualities takes
its cues from a classic Danish sommerhaus.
Cabin on the Canal
O
verlooking Hood Canal, The Coyle—a
series of simple forms in Douglas fir-
infested Washington—draws from aspects
of Danish design (a steep gable form, the contrast
between dark exterior and light interior) but is rooted
to a landscape yielding views of the forest, harbor
and Olympic Mountains.
"Our work begins with both an ephemeral
exploration of the experience of being at the site
and an analytical study of the opportunities and
challenges it brings," explains Dan Wickline, principal
of the practice Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects
that helmed The Coyle. That the structure is nestled
in the trees on the western part of the site, "There
are large windows up against the vertical trunks of
the tree line, creating an intimate connection to the
forest," he notes. "Through the trees there are some
small glimpses of the view beyond to the west, and
this screened view is in contract to the experience of
the openness of the meadow and unobstructed vista
beyond to the south."
A quiet space of 1,700 square feet, the interior
is modest and economical, minimally trimmed,
and featuring white walls, pine floors
and wood windows—a palette suited
to the natural surround. French doors
open the cabin's primary rooms to
the majestic outdoors, expanding
the living space onto the adjacent
decks and meadowlands beyond.
Moved a moderate distance from the
new buildings, an existing structure
was remodeled for its new role as a
bunkhouse, one that further defines the
entrance to the site while serving as a
modern reminder of how best to set up
camp these days. pbwarchitects.com
(FROM LEFT)
ARRANGED AS A
MODERN CAMP,
THE COYLE IS
A CONTRAST
OF PALETTES,
DARK ON THE
OUTSIDE, LIGHT
AND NATURAL
ON THE INSIDE; A
VIEW FROM THE
BEDROOM DECK,
WHICH IMMERSES
ONE IN NATURE;
THE LIVING
SPACE LIKEWISE
OPENS TO THE
LANDSCAPE AND
IS ORIENTED
TOWARD
COMMUNION.
