This modern home sits on a sloped corner lot in Kirkland with views of Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. Entry occurs at the upper level, where the main living spaces, gym, and a guest bedroom open to a wraparound deck and panoramic views of water and mountains.
The lower level contains the private spaces: bedrooms, a TV room, and a studio. A sunken courtyard carved into the slope brings natural light deep into this floor and creates a protected outdoor room. What might have been a typical basement becomes one of the defining spaces of the house. Open to the sky, the courtyard offers a quiet place at the center of the plan.
The architecture is built on contrast. Solid and void. Light and shadow. Public and private. From the street, board-formed concrete and charred shou sugi ban create a restrained façade. Inside, warm cedar soffits and steel detailing frame expansive glass that opens the living spaces to the view. Throughout the day, sunlight moves across the courtyard walls, shifting the character of the space with the hours.
The home takes its name from the Nolli Map of Rome, which documented the voids within the city. Here, interlocking volumes create a central courtyard that is as important as the rooms surrounding it. The void defines the house as much as the built form.
