Project: Howell / Ray Residence
Location: Orcas Island, WA
Completed: 2007

Self-sufficiency was a driving impetus for this 1500 SF home on a mountainside on Washington's Orcas Island. Its location far from the grid meant that power and water would need to come from the site. To this end, the roof was conceived as a water collector, funneling the ample wet-season rainfall to a centrally located collection point where it then empties into a cistern. Rainwater was intended to provide for all domestic uses in the home. The two-pitched roof with connecting breezeway also serves to delineate the private realm of the master suite from the more public parts of the house. Reflecting our client's desire for privacy, the spacious 2-bed guest room lies at the opposite end of the house. Entertaining and the celebration of food are important in our clients' lives. Accordingly, the kitchen and dining areas are central. A NanaWall sliding door system opens out onto a deck with wonderful views of Puget Sound and the distant North Shore Mountains.