Pacific Northwesterners know it, people in lab coats know it, and all those people who moved to California 40 years ago knew it; the kiss of sunlight helps us feel wonderful. Its radiance inspires art and accomplishment. Yet, Seattle’s 152 rainy days per year means 42% of our days lack that sunny inspiration. At the Artisans Group we don’t accept that, and we don’t think you have to leave Seattle to revel in a golden glow. We can put our award winning Design and Build team on the task of bringing you warmth, brightness and comfort during even the darkest of winter days.
Our latest example, The Delphi Passive House, is an eco-conscious home that artfully works with our client’s health needs on an integral design level while standing strong against these winter greys.
During the Schematic Design phase our client specified a need to temper direct and cloudy sunlight into a more consistent and calm state. Can a Passive House in the Pacific Northwest that relies on windows for heat, mute the light and still be a Passive House? This complex program gives us an opportunity to flex our Artisans Design-Build muscle.
We begin by putting out the sunshine Welcome Mat and strategically place windows to maximize passive solar gain.
A balance of expertly installed clerestory and floor to ceiling windows capture the full southern sun and coax its shaded ambient light in from the covered porch. Mindful of too much sunlight we built a soffit of gorgeous tongue and groove cedar to frame the dining, kitchen and great room. Notice in the photo below how the cedar’s warmth softens the direct light? In addition to looking stunning this soffit provides an overhead calm and respite no matter the weather.
The pure fun happens as we reflect upon light's...echo...and use a bright yellow paint on the ceiling side of the soffit. Remember the gray skies of the first photo?
The Delphi Passive House, truly a golden oasis no matter which Seattle day you receive.
Posted on January 20, 2017
