View Ridge
In a neighborhood of notable mid-century modern homes, View Ridge brings its own 21st century gravitas to the architectural dialogue. A 15-foot grade change from the sidewalk to the main entrance is mitigated through garden and gateway experiences, culminating in an entryway defined by landscape elements and a significant cantilevered overhang. Existing plantings were leveraged heavily in the design—the kitchen and owner’s bath focus on a heritage douglas fir and the entry centers on a specimen fig tree. The home’s three stacked floors shift from level to level, breaking down the overall scale and creating a ‘reverse floor plan’, with living spaces, a deck, and large sliding glass doors on the top floor. This maximizes views of the lake and the Cascade range, and ensures them in perpetuity, regardless of future construction on neighboring properties. A central three-story staircase wraps around an elevator, which allows this home to accommodate its owners as they age in place.
