David G. Thielsens Story

3,600 square feet
4 bedrooms
4 baths
Living room, family room, nook, kitchen, dining room, study, and rec. room
Kirkland, WA
Completed in 1998

Conceived as a modern urban beach house for an active single professional, this home is situated on a restrictive Lake Washington waterfront lot in Kirkland. The narrow steep site is bisected by a roadway, which limited the buildable area of the property. These constraints dictated a layering and overlapping of spaces within an open floor plan so lake views could be enjoyed from all of the primary living spaces. This informality and openness of space matched well with the Owner's lifestyle. The home is organized around a central two-story circulation spine and light well that places the entry door at the street, on axis with the dock at the lake. This core ties the home together, allows natural light to penetrate deep within the house, and creates a dramatic gallery space. Driven by site and zoning constraints, and the Owner's desire for volume, the main floor is divided into three levels, which cascade down the site. Each level defines a function while adding volume to the space as the house moves from the entry down to the lake level. Modern forms, materials, finishes, and expressed structural members combine in an understated design whole, giving this house a uniquely Northwest aesthetic.

General Contractor:     Willkens Construction

Contact:                     Garen Willkens (425) 641-9460

Photographer:             Krogstad Photography

Contact:                     Gregg Krogstad