seattle backyard cottage blog

Backyard cottages (DADUs) provide opportunities for families, while increasing housing stock density and diversity. Continue reading for more information about Seattle's backyard cottage ordinance or contact us to find out if your lot is eligible for a backyard cottage..

microhouse - about us

About Us - Smart Sustainable Design

Microhouse is an award winning collaborative passionate about the design of backyard cottages small houses and their communities. We take pride in creating innovative designs that are closely tailored to our clients needs.




Our Services

At microhouse we are the local experts in the design and permitting and construction of backyard cottages.  We are here to help our clients in creating houses that exceed their expectations.  Our experience not only results in great houses, but saves our clients time and money, allowing them to allocate their resources to the things that they value most.  We work with top notch consultants and home builders assuring quality and affordability in everything that we do.

Give us a call to talk about your project. We are often able to answer your questions and give you an assessment over the phone. Otherwise we can schedule a site visit.  After an assessment we can give you a proposal for our services and timelines and estimates for permitting and construction. 




Microhouse Team Members





Bruce Parker
Microhouse Founder, Lead Designer









Through his work Bruce strives to create inviting living spaces that are integral parts of the natural and social landscapes. His interests led him to found Microhouse in 2009 as a vehicle for creative problem solvers who are passionate about the design of small houses and communities. 

Bruce has  twenty years design experience on all aspects of residential and commercial design.  His background in engineering has lead to a holistic design approach that seeks to balance the often conflicting goals of development and natural systems.  Bruce has worked in the United States, China and Mexico. He has a masters degree in Architecture from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Seattle University.

Education:      Masters of Architecture,  University of Washington, 2002.
                       Bachelor of Civil/Structural Engineering, Seattle University, 1990.




Vinita Sidhu
Project Landscape Architect 











Vinita Sidhu is a Landscape Architect with a wide range of experience planning and designing projects in the public realm. Her work experience addresses master planning, public parks, civic centers, cultural landscapes, natural areas, environmental artworks, rivers and trails. She aims to create landscapes that are both meaningful and sustainable. She enjoys delving into the multi-layered aspects of a project to discover those qualities that make each site unique. Vinita has worked on a diverse range of projects in the United States, China, and Poland. She typically works on all aspects of a project from conceptual design through construction observation.

Education:  Master of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University GSD,1998. 
                 Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Design of the Environment, University of Pennsylvania,1995. 

Registration: Landscape Architect: Washington State







Geoff Piper
Constructability Consultant






After graduating from Lehigh University with a degree in Civil Engineering and Architecture, Geoff received a Masters of Architecture from the University of Washington. Geoff worked on residential and commercial projects as both a designer and a builder before becoming a construction manager.  As a construction manager with lots of hands on experience in the field, Geoff has the ability to evaluate the cost and constructability of preliminary designs. He is an integral part of our team from the beginning to end.

Geoff has worked on various projects overseas, including master planning , architectural design and construction.  This work on projects in Africa, Central and Latin America has given him the ability to adjust his designs to use local materials and techniques.

Geoff is a founding partner in The Global Studio and Five Dot Design Build, providing design and consulting services to the non- profit sector throughout the world.

Education:      Masters of Architecture, University of Washington, 2002. 
                      Bachelor of Arts, Architecture, Lehigh University, 1998. 
                      Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Lehigh University, 1998.