The Water Cabin, designed by Olson Kundig in 2020, is located in a floating home community in Seattle, Washington.

Description
Located in a floating home community on Portage Bay, just south of the University of Washington, Water Cabin establishes a cabin sensibility in an urban environment. Low to the water and small in stature, the home creates a platform from which to enjoy and engage with the surrounding waterway. A delicate galvanized steel structure supports generous roof planes and large areas of glazing that open to dramatic 180-degree views and blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The home?s interior program is thoughtfully arranged across two levels to maximize connections to the surrounding marine environment. On the lower level, an open living space combines dining, kitchen, and office functions, with a hidden murphy bed for guests. A glass corner and large sliding doors connect this space to exterior patios with rich Ipe wood decking, where large roof overhangs support year-round usability. The master suite on the upper level frames prospective views to the water and creates a cozy lookout, set back into the home?s footprint, for a sense of refuge. A roof deck and richly planted container garden continue the indoor/outdoor porosity established on the ground level, extending the bedroom outside. Water Cabin?s materiality draws inspiration from the weathered informality of a cabin. Lightly stained knotty western red cedar exterio...