Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
This house takes advantage of the steep site, strengthening the fragile slope, also collecting the water that threatens to de-stabilize it and minimizing the energy required. The building is formed by the interaction of site-cast concrete walls and water-collecting roofs. At the same time the transparency of the house creates a seamless spatial experience, connecting inside and out.
Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Site-cast Concrete Walls of Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Open Courtyard Design in Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Chevron-shape Living Area in Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Interior Design of Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Lounge, Library, Fireplace in Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Interior Kitchen in Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Lake View Bedroom in Cedar Park House by Peter Cohan
Two concrete walls mark the site and define its major exterior and interior spaces. The first follows the long northern boundary, cupping at the end to form an outdoor hearth. The second parallels the first, until it bends in the middle and angles to the southeast. Those walls form a Y that opens to the east.
All of the water from the roofs is collected and conveyed uphill to the street. The western roof conveys rainwater far enough up site to allow it to drain naturally to the street. The eastern roof takes the form of an inverted gable that collects the water and deposits it into three above ground cisterns. The cisterns store water for flushing toilets, doing laundry and watering the gardens.
The solidity of the exterior stands in sharp contrast to the openness of the interior. The chevron-shaped living space is open to the terrace and lawn. The 7 1/2-foot wide doors to the terrace can be slid in either direction. The two arms of the house form the edges of a lawn that extends from the living room to the edge of the bluff overlooking Lake Washington.
Location : Seattle
Architect : Peter Cohan Architect
