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Located on a wooded family property on the Kitsap Peninsula northwest of Seattle, the Rambler is a modest home shaped by craft, community, and a close relationship to the landscape.

Designed for a musician and an architect, the 1,700 square foot residence includes three bedrooms, two baths, and spaces for drawing and playing music. Set a few blocks up from a small beach town, the house grounds itself to the earth through its materials, form, and connection to local makers who contributed to the project.

The design began as a simple one-story volume stretched across the site in the spirit of a classic rambler. Portions of the mass were carved to create outdoor rooms, axial openings, skylights, and screened areas that bring in light and air while preserving privacy. A sheltering roof extends beyond the perimeter walls, providing covered outdoor spaces on all sides. The roof is fully occupiable, offering areas for herb gardening, stargazing, and future solar panels. The structure along the north edge was designed to support a potential second story if needs change over time.

A raised concrete base establishes the ground plane, adding physical and visual weight while serving as structure, heating system, and finished surface. A tall site-cast masonry fireplace punctuates the horizontal roof line and anchors the central living space. The masonry walls, with deeply raked mortar joints, contrast the smooth concrete slab and lime-painted interior surfaces, emphasizing permanence and texture.

Material choices favor durability and local making. Douglas fir trees removed for construction were milled on site for interior finishes, while on-site cedar became built-ins and site elements. Brick screen walls extend into the landscape to form semi-enclosed exterior rooms, allowing filtered light and vegetation to weave directly into the house and softening the boundary between home and forest.

Awards:
AIA Seattle Award of Honor & AIA National Housing Award

^{Photos by Kevin Scott}