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photo of Tansu House
Photo: Michael Burns

Tansu House

Seattle, Washington

Tansu House

Seattle, Washington

  • Design Principal

    Tom Kundig

Designed for a couple with a grown family, Tansu House is named for the transformative qualities that make it both a private retreat as well as a venue for entertaining. Located on the shores of Puget Sound, the house is positioned to maximize water views and natural light. A simple elegance unites the interior and exterior elements of the two-story cedar-clad home whose understated palette features custom hardware and steel accents by architect Tom Kundig. The main floor includes the kitchen and dining area, and is essentially one open living space with floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that open onto two outdoor spaces—a garden patio in front and a rear deck that faces the waterfront.

The top floor consists of a master bedroom and bathroom, a guest bathroom and two studies that convert into guest bedrooms for out-of-town visitors. This transformation is made possible by a series of custom-designed cabinets, sliding doors and pivoting panels that are easily concealed when not in use. A steel Dutch door located off the study opens up to a walkway overlooking the front courtyard. Designed to provide shelter between the garage and the house, the walkway extends an additional connection to the outdoors from the upper level of the home. The high-low placement of windows is designed to optimize natural ventilation in partnership with passive solar shading provided by nearby trees. Additional sustainable features include an engineered wetland that filters all stormwater on-site by using native plantings.

Team

Awards

2012

AIA Seattle Honor Awards, AIA Seattle Commendation Award

Publications

2013

Budds, Diana. “Modern Steel House in Seattle.” Dwell, 15 June 2013. Web.

Budds, Diana. “Sound Design.” Dwell, July 2013, 68. Print.