backyard cottages seeking homes

Do you have a large lot that would be suitable for subdividing but are worried that if you sell you may end up living next to a McMansion?  We are frequently approached by people looking for lots for small homes, backyard cottages and even cottage housing developments. We would love to show the development community that well designed small homes create vibrant neighborhoods, are great places to live, and are a viable development prototype.

Given the scarcity of vacant lots in and around Seattle, finding a small lot is a seemingly impossible proposition.  When small lots are developed it is most often to the maximum extent allowable by the code.  Given the provisions in the Seattle zoning code, these houses can be huge ugly boxes way out of scale with their surroundings. No shortage of these houses have been built in Seattle over the last few years.  Enough to finally prompt amendments to the land use code. The Seattle Weekly recently did an article about the reaction to one local developer who's excesses led to these amendments.

crowded houses

Beyond a much needed overhaul to the Seattle Municipal Code, the most effective way to reverse this trend is to demonstrate viable alternatives. To this end we are currently looking for small lots on Mercer Island, North Seattle, and for a backyard cottage site on or around Queen Anne.  If you think that your lot may qualify or are otherwise interested please give us a call or shoot us an email. 

tiny home seeks a home

A tiny home demonstration project by students at Emily Carr University of Art and Design underscores the challenges of providing shelter for at risk groups and the homeless.  

To read more about this unique project. vancouver sun article 

Our own experience working with a Vancouver land owner to come up with provide services for at risk youth has run into some similar challenges.

Located on the outskirts of Vancouver the zoning of this site allows for a multi-story high rise development.  However, the local rental market cannot support the cost of development. Microhouse and the land owner have teamed up to for this innovative affordable housing solution.  The 30 units will house at risk youth and social workers. The units are based around a series of overlapping courtyards that will facilitate small group interactions and provide support for the residents.

The local municipality views our proposal as an under utilization of the site and has proposed utility hookup costs of $450,000 equivalent to that for 30 apartment buildings. Effectively keeping the project in limbo for now.

The owner plans to start a demonstration project by building the first unit, as a backyard cottage. Thank you to Studio 216 for the beautiful rendering.

microhouse - contemporary cottage housing

A unique take on cottage housing this new development on Seattle's Beacon Hill by microhouse uses an elevated walkway to connect these four houses.  

Pervious paving and the grated walkway help reduce the amount of impervious site surfaces.

The elevated walkway provides a unique opportunity to have public circulation on one level passing over private yards below, resolves a difficult sloping site, and reduces the apparent scale of the houses. 

The footprint of the Northern two houses (on the left) is a mere 16ft x 24ft. These houses feature 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. A real challenge but the end result is a home that feels airy and much bigger than its actual square footage.

 Replacing cabinet uppers with pantry storage areas is super efficient and allows for windows over the counter area.

Affordable bamboo flooring provides added warmth and a nice contract to the contemporary finishes.

Enjoy this beautiful day and learn more about rain gardens.  Come and participate in the self guided Higland Park Improvement Club rain garden tour.

microhouse new office bike

We have a new office bike.  While not all office vehicle uses are suitable for a bike, our last office bike was retired with over 10,000 miles.  We encourage all design firms to make a bike available to their employees.

Microhouse is a 100% bike, walk or work from home design collaborative.

backyard cottage open house - garage conversion

Sunday April 7th from 1-4 pm

6335 Wilson Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

(Entrance from Blair Terrace S.)

Have you been thinking about converting your garage into a backyard cottage? Join microhouse and Ncompass Cottage Company for an open house on April 7th from 1-4 pm  to view this recently constructed backyard cottage.

Mark and Alice converted their existing garage in to a backyard cottage to add more room for their growing family.  The family placed a high priority on sustainability.  To this end, we worked to maintain as much of the existing structure as possible.  The result is a 440 sq. ft. one bedroom 1 bath  cottage suitable for someone with poor mobility.

Garage conversions have their own unique benefits and challenges.  To be used as a backyard cottage a garage must be brought up to the standards of the current building code.  When evaluating whether a conversion is cost effective, rather than starting with new construction, our first consideration is the condition of the foundation.  Many garages are built with minimal foundations that do not meet current design standards.  If the existing foundation is in good condition, as it was for Mark and Alice, we can focus on other important considerations like updating systems and insulation.  

One benefit of converting an existing garage in Seattle is that special considerations are given in the zoning code for these existing structures.  These considerations can be departures from standards including lot size and setbacks.  Contact us to find out more about the permitting process and these departures.

a retirement cabin on Lake Washington

A retirement cabin complete with a granddaughter loft by Seattle design collaborative microhouse.  The design takes advantage of sweeping views lake Washington and Mt. Rainier. Location - the backyard of the owner's daughter.

A project that we are currently working on that is quite exciting.  The design features a nice living room and open kitchen with views south to Mount Rainier and east to Lake Washington.  One bedroom and bath are located on the main floor and a granddaughter loft is located above.  The deck faces south and is sheltered by a large roof overhang. The overhang will allow winter sunlight deep into the house while shading the windows during summer months.  The primary heat source will be a gas fire place.  The cabin will have a rain feature and cistern to celebrate and store rain water.

One of our first challenges is working within an environmentally critical area (ECA).  The City of Seattle determines which areas are environmentally sensitive based on a number of criteria including the presence of a steep slope, liquifaction prone soils and others.  In this case we have a site adjacent to a steep slope with poor fill soils deposited during the construction of the primary residence. Fortunately our team members have a strong background in Civil Engineering and perhaps because of this a large percentage of our projects are located in ECA areas.  We are working with landscape architect, Anri Rapelje, on a landscape and planting plan that will enhance the natural function of the site as well as providing native edible plants.

Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2013.