Me Kwa Mooks Net-Zero House - Hillside Home Design With Circus Tents and Japanese Architecture

Located on a steeply sloped, triangular lot adjacent to Me-Kwa-Mooks Park, the existing house framed territorial views over Puget Sound but suffered from several ill-conceived additions and remodels. The house was also difficult to access–the driveway was steep and lacked turnaround space, and prompted visitors to climb a street-side circular stair to arrive at the entry door. The combination of the grade and triangular shape of the lot made changing the footprint impractical, and made working with the site limitations a necessity. The clients are young, adventurous, and willing to explore design solutions rooted in their experiences. Having lived in Japan they enjoyed both traditional and contemporary design elements, from the concept of the tea room to Studio Ghibli to contemporary Japanese architecture. They sought a balance of old and new, crafted and minimal. Both had been professional circus performers, bearing an affinity for open, dynamic spaces. While the existing house contained the rooms the