The SHOP

In the community of West Seattle, this backyard DADU serves dual purposes: as an efficient one-bedroom apartment and as a highly functional design studio with an integrated fabrication shop.

The ground floor garage space serves as a hard-working workshop, featuring a large multi-slide door that can completely open up to the exterior. Stacked above the garage is the dwelling unit, which also serves as an open office space with a discrete kitchenette. The loft is acoustically and environmentally isolated from the activity of the shop below, and provides views of the Puget Sound and privacy from neighboring structures.

The exterior material palette is inspired by core mission of the project, where industrial materials were refined made to feel at home in a domestic setting. On the interior, flexibility and change is designed-in to the material choices. Simple spaces paired with selective areas of shop-grade plywood provides a purpose-built infrastructure that is inspired by the use of the space.

Sustainability is central to this DADU, incorporating energy-efficient features such as continuous exterior rock wool insulation, a high-performance rain screen wall system, triple-glazed fiberglass windows, and a heat recovery ventilator. These elements enhance the thermal efficiency of the building, ensuring a comfortable environment year-round.