Project: 18th Ave City Homes
Architects: Malboeuf Bowie Architecture
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Area: 4,543 sf
Photographs by: Andrew Pogue
18th Ave City Homes by Malboeuf Bowie Architecture
Malboeuf Bowie Architecture – a Seattle-based studio that has been featured on our site before with their Palatine Passive House project, has made its way back again with another impressive project – the 18th Avenue City Homes in Seattle, Washington.
This project is made up of three townhouses located in a densely populated neighborhood. Each of these make economical use of space, resulting in almost 5,000 square feet of living spaces blessed by natural light through the large floor-to-ceiling windows that are also the reason why the inhabitants of this home get unobstructed views of Lake Washington, as well as downtown Seattle.
In a time of rising land prices and energy costs, these three townhomes fit on what was an underutilized single family home lot in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The houses read as a unified whole but each unit has a distinct interior and is clearly demarcated through individual entries. A landscaped setback and entry sequence provides green amenity space for the residents and contributes to the streetscape. The sculptural facade provides new architectural character to a neighborhood in the midst of growth.
The interior floors are stacked by use from public to private areas for the homeowner as one ascends. The entrance level includes a flex space, bath, and guest bedroom. The second floor offers an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living space. The upper floor is reserved for the private bedrooms and access to the green roof decks. Internal orientation is distinctly divided into private bedrooms that afford privacy to the street; and open, sun-lit spaces that provide a physical connection to the neighborhood.
