VANDERVORT ARCHITECTS

Jun 2012

The owners came to us with an original, but outdated, house on a small lot in Leschi. They loved the interiors and views from the house, but required more space for their growing family as well as exterior finish upgrades. By purchasing the lot next door, they were able to expand the original house, adding two new bedrooms, bathrooms, office, utility room, gym, a below-grade media room and exterior view decks. The addition hinges at the original circular stair, opening up to the south for sunlight, and to the east for sweeping views of Lake Washington, Mercer Island and downtown Bellevue. This house maintains the unique geometry of the original building, but renders the forms with more contemporary materials of cement board panels, metal siding and stucco cladding.

Seattle, WA

Jun 2011

Perched on a San Juan Island shoreline, this 2,365 sqft home looks northwest over Sunset Bay. The home was designed with two mirroring curved glass walls that frame views, and let maximum light into the home. The architecture is composed of two pavilions arranged to embrace the site and the natural forces acting upon it. Designed for a couple seeking comfort and security, the exterior materials allude to island appropriate but substantial design, with CMU block, naturally stained cedar siding, hot rolled steel and metal roof being the predominant elements. These materials are brought inside as structure and accent, with the great room fireplace set in CMU and steel columns evident throughout. Upstairs, a glass bridge adjacent to the loft connects to a Guest Suite and Exercise area. This space also has a curved glass wall mirroring the great room feature and looking out over Victoria and the Olympics.

Friday Harbor, WA

Jul 2009

The site for this 2,500 sf residence with detached garage/office is a waterfront property on Flowing Lake in Snohomish County. It was a challenging site due to its steep slope, its small size and the various restrictions put on it due to its sensitive nature. What developed from these site conditions is a house that stretches down the slope toward the water. Access is via a processional path to the mid point of the hill where a glass corridor/entry blurs the line between interior and exterior. From here the living areas open and cantilever toward the view with large glass areas. The upper level Master bedroom with its roof terrace hovers in the trees. These areas are all embraced by the warmth of the wood clad wall. The materials of the house are honest and natural. This allows the house to meld with the natural landscaping which was preserved and enhanced.

Snohomish, WA

Jul 2009

This Key Peninsula residence sits on a 7 acre waterfront site. An existing small cabin had occupied the site for years and held many fond memories for the homeowners. We worked carefully to create a new 3,200 sf house which carries on the small scale, informal, cottage legacy of that original structure. Four gabled pavilions connected and defined by circulation corridors and exterior space compose the building form as if it had been constructed over a span of years. The material palette is composed of honest materials stone, wood, steel and concrete. Siding/paneling milled from windfall site trees clad the interior and exterior of the home. The home is LEED Gold Certified. Green features include FSC certified framing materials, a ground source heat pump, photovoltaic, solar water heating, raingarden stormwater control and a high level of environmentally preferred materials.

Gig Harbor, WA

Mar 2009

This island appropriate residence is located on five acres of southwest facing waterfront land on Orcas Island. The house is intended to blend with its natural setting and has been designed to live out to the favored places of the site and down to the waters edge. Once inside this 2,900 sf home, a two story entry bridges the public and private areas and provides access to the upper and lower floors. Entering the Great-room with its timber-frame ceiling structure, natural light and natural materials provide the ambiance. The centerpiece of this great-room is a fireplace made of local stone. The exterior palette of the residence is comprised of a custom metal roof and gutters, with stained wall shingles in two sizes and an accent of stone. Sustainable features include an 11,000-gallon rainwater catchment system, a high quality open cell insulation system and the utilization of water based finishes.

Eastsound, WA

Sep 2008

The remodel of this 3,600 sf residence built in 1962 focused on the main floor interior. The goal was to open the space up, enhance the spectacular views and create a modern framework for family living. The original entry sequence was unclear and unpleasant being below grade and concealed beneath a dark overhang. A new entry was created to create a more logical sequence from the street to the living space and to add some drama to the exterior via a light scooping shed roof. Other than the entry and turning the carport into a garage the original exterior was left un-touched.

Shoreline, WA

Sep 2008

This 1800 sf home is located on a heavily wooded, waterfront property on Lopez Island. The house is carefully sited amidst the trees and the land form which slopes up to the bank and view. Connections to the outdoors and other site features informed the arrangement of space and form. The angle of the living wing corresponds to the bank and creates an embraced outdoor deck area. The house reaches out to the southeast path to the beach, to the gardens further to the east and most importantly to the west views of the water. The structure comprises the main house with an isolated upper level master and the studio which houses his and hers art spaces. There are Asian influences to the house, particularly in the entry process. The house forms are simple, derived from the site relationships and the materials are honest and enlivening hard-soft, warm-cool.

Lopez Island, WA

May 2007

Situated on a narrow lot adjacent to the Washington Arboretum in Seattle, this 1920s bungalow was fully renovated within a modern craftsman style. The enlarged residence contains 3,400 sf while maintaining its scale within the neighborhood context. The existing house was opened up to views and the adjacent landscape which is used extensively for entertaining. The existing living room was converted to a den/sitting room and the remaining main floor converted to a great room with a spacious kitchen. This new family space flows to the garden patio which is used extensively for entertaining. Light was brought deeply into the house via skylights and a centrally placed stairwell / lightwell. Sustainable features include reclaimed timbers, cork flooring, energy-star appliances and non-toxic finishes throughout. Outside, the site landscaping was replanted with drought-tolerant plants and a rainwater collection system was incorporated for irrigation purposes and visual interest.

Seattle, WA

Jun 2005

NEXTHouse is a custom-designed and crafted home fusing the Northwest Modern tradition with the highest quality environmentally sustainable building technologies, features and finishes. NEXTHouse is a 3 bedoom, 2 1/2 bath home with a garage and shop located on a south-facing corner lot of 5,500 square feet. It is designed to fully appreciate the land, reaching out to views and light, while providing a lush microclimate of Northwest appropriate landscaping. Terraces, decks and patios encourage outdoor living in both formal and private settings. NEXTHouse is an urban sanctuary that preserves the Earths resources and provides for healthy living.

Seattle, WA