52 DIGS.NET
| 8.21.2020
A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
E
+
D
E
S
I
G
N
P R O F I L E | H E L I OT R O P E A R C H I T E C T S
LIVING SPACES
OPEN UP
COMPLETELY ON
NORTH (GARDEN)
AND SOUTH
(WATER) SIDES
VIA A CUSTOM
LIFT-SLIDE DOOR
SYSTEM.
The 1,600-square- foot, one-story
structure was built to exist harmoniously
with the landscape.
even years after procuring the plot,
the couple asked the architects of
Heliotrope—a Seattle-based studio
founded in 1999 by principals Joe Herrin and
Mike Mora—to design the low-impact home
with a strong connection to the land and sea.
This approach immediately resonated with
the architects' philosophy: "Process-driven
and rigorously attentive to detail, we strive for
clear, elegant solutions rooted in a thorough
understanding of the social, cultural and
physical qualities unique to each project," the
Heliotrope team says. "[Our] work reflects a
passion for people and the various, complex
places they inhabit." In this case, the design
response translated into what they describe as
"a simple 'wedge' shape geometry, mimicking
the hillside slope beyond. It is tucked into a
natural depression in the shoreline in order to
diminish its visual impact."
According to the architects, the 1,600-square-
foot, one-story structure was built to exist
harmoniously with the landscape and to avoid
habitat loss for near-shore insects, a critical food
source for endangered juvenile Chinook salmon.
It comprises a green roof with native, drought-
tolerant vegetation that was employed to replace
over 90 percent of the vegetative footprint
lost to construction. To minimize exposure to
weather, the living spaces can be completely
closed or opened up to the north, where the
garden is located, and to the south, where water
views prevail. Retractable glass wall panels by
Quantum Windows & Doors protect from winter
storms and the summer sun while also providing
security when the house is unoccupied. Local
S
location
San Juan Islands,
Washington
Firm
Heliotrope Architects
Seattle, Washington
heliotropearchitects.com
