A modern home in Clyde Hill where the lot size and zoning produced a footprint almost as wide as it is deep. An atrium at the center of the plan opens the house to the sky, creating a room that is both inside and out.

Unlike a traditional courtyard open to the elements, this one is fully enclosed by glass, an interior room open to the sky. It brings light and air into rooms that would otherwise be buried in the middle of the plan, while framing views of the sky and the surrounding trees. The movement of branches and clouds becomes the backdrop for daily life. Throughout the day, light shifts across the atrium walls, marking the passage of time in a way that a conventional plan would never allow.

The exterior is clad in stacked stone and dark metal siding, giving the home a grounded, quiet presence from the street. Inside, the palette is restrained, with natural materials throughout.

The main living spaces, kitchen, and dining room are at street level, organized around the atrium. Bedrooms are on the upper level. Below, an entertainment room opens directly to the atrium, giving even the basement a connection to daylight and sky.

This was our first home organized around a central void, and the idea has since informed several projects in our portfolio.