Redmond, Washington, USA
Crafting a refined residence without losing a sense of “playfulness,” Ryan Stephenson of Stephenson Design Collective has been appointed by a creative executive for Minecraft to design a family residence by placing multiple rough blocks into a board-formed concrete structure.
When approaching the house by car, an adjacent lake is obfuscated by an interplay of solid and void, with a staccato of structural columns and window mullions that echo the rhythm of surrounding trees.
After entering the house, its dramatic lakeside backdrop comes into full view—generous glass sliding doors, made possible by extensively engineered steel beams, help eliminate the line between interior and exterior.
The ground level contains a gathering area, office, guest room, and kitchen.
As avid cooks, the clients sought a unified kitchen and dining space for entertaining as well as serving everyday meals.
Above, three bedrooms, a laundry, a family room, and a “suspended bridge” are located among the treetops.
This upper story, sheathed in blackened cedar, features gently canted roofs and cantilevers that shelter outdoor spaces.
Below grade, a basement offers ample space for a glass-walled wine cellar, media room, and home gym.
Materials are inspired by both the client’s Danish heritage and the forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Local cedar lined the concrete formwork and was used for the shou sugi ban siding.
Built-ins are incorporated into almost every nook of the residence, including a walnut Murphy bed in the guest room that complements a Finn Juhl sideboard.
Lighting designers consciously maintained a Danish sensibility for low light and shadow light, evoking the ambiance of a candlelit room or a campfire at dusk.
Project: Treehouse Camp Residence / Scout Lake House
Architects: Stephenson Design Collective
Lead Architect: Ryan Stephenson
Project Architect: Cerrissa Kulpa
Client: Michael and Siobhán Persson
Photographers: Kevin Scott
