Living Well in Rainy Seattle
Here in the Northwest we enjoy a climate that is loved for its benign, temperate summers but also notorious for the rainy season's relentless gray skies. When designing a house, our climate presents a mixture of challenges and opportunities that gives the architect an interesting problem to grapple with.
Over the years we have developed a focus on housing that is specifically adapted to the Northwest climate & a numbers of strategies for putting together houses that help people live well here.
Over the years we have developed a focus on housing that is specifically adapted to the Northwest climate & a numbers of strategies for putting together houses that help people live well here.
In a gray climate, you need plenty of windows, but placement is as important as the amount. They key is setting windows where people can see the sky.
During the gray season, there's no sunlight streaming in the windows, but the sky is still very bright. If you can see above the horizon, the interior space will feel much brighter
Placing the window headers inside the floor framing (often called advanced framing) allows the window glass to migrate all the way up to the ceiling This provides more opportunity to look to the horizon and for your eye to find the dome of the sky.
Plan configurations that are long and thin across the width of the lot minimize the wall area that faces the adjacent houses, improving their exposure to natural light and open views. Open floor plans borrow light between spaces and to maximize the potential to see through the house to the landscape and sky beyond.
Broad overhangs are key to protecting the siding and create dramatic shadows that give northwest architecture its sense of shelter. When roof pitches are kept relatively shallow, these overhangs can be quite generous without stealing light from the interiors.
Cladding systems should employ durable, low maintenance finishes. Natural materials should be used only in locations where they are well protected by roof overhangs. Rain screen cladding systems can dramatically increase the useful life of the building & greatly reduce the need for future maintenance
Oversized doors and operable walls can create seamless transitions from the living spaces to the decks and into the landscape beyond.
Covered exterior decks with greenhouse style roofing extends the season where the house can remain open to the outside.
Whether for new construction or the remodel of a single room, following these simple strategies can make your Northwest home more livable & help create an architecture that belongs in its place and of its time.