Park Passive

Building Use: Detached single-family residence

Project Type: New passive house building

Park Passive is the 2014 recipient of the national AIA Housing Award and the 2016 recipient of the PHIUS Design Award. Located in Seattle’s Madison Park neighborhood, the building is home to an active family of four with an interest in sustainability and modern design. The constraints on the 2,710 SF home and its 2,000 SF urban lot were abundant, including a small, shallow floor plate; a zoning envelope that required working within the form of the existing house; limited solar access; and 17” thick walls. The design team addressed these challenges by emphasizing vertical space and playing with wall thickness on the front façade. This led to interesting surprises, such as the double-height vaulted kitchen space that visually connects the main living area to the upstairs kids play area; a day-lihgt open stair punctuated with views to the street and a carved out nook for a window bench; and several large skylights. The design also widened the floor plate and addressed the lack of a back yard by creating a strong tie to the front yard using a large lift-slide door and expansive glazing.