Project overview
This welcoming lodge for friends and family will be nestled in the sage and pines. Our design mixes equal priorities of fire and climate resilience, spatial and resource minimalism, and the feeling of being perched in a bird’s nest.
1,500 square feet Ellensburg, WA
Design criteria
Elevation
2990
'
Climate zone
5B
Heating degree days
6499
Cooling degree days
535
Winter design temperature
2
° F
Frost depth
24
"
Concept
The clients’ acreage in a conservation zone displays beautiful seasonality of flora and fauna. With a climate palatable year-round, they want to ‘feel like you are outside when you’re inside.’ The program is sized and arranged to allow the clients to host friends and family in ample gathering space and have a private bedroom retreat to. The shared Lodge features a kitchen, dining and conversation area, bunk beds and a bathroom, and connects via a screened dogtrot to the primary suite.
Site
The clients have spent years camping on the site, observing the natural processes, and gradually pruning vegetation to comply with local Wildland Urban Interface code requirements. Together we have chosen a building location that balances the beauty of the site: centering on southern sun in a collective gathering space, yielding views to key alignments up the valley, and capturing the energy of their topography and its ephemeral draws.
Materials
We will employ a raised-up building technique on piers to minimize poured concrete and site disturbance, and take advantage of the uneven topography. Double stud walls, metal siding and roofing, and high-performance windows will round-out the resilience of this structure. The clients are seasoned do-it-yourselfers and plan to install interior finishes and playful flourishes over time.
