The Whidbey Island Farm residence located on a rural site in Whidbey Island, is a retreat and part-time residence for a multi-generational family, meticulously designed to offer private and social spaces with a home program that honours and protects the natural surroundings.

Seattle-based design studio mwworks designed a timeless home with flexible and durable materials that would grow with the family for years to come. Tasked with building a multi-generational home for a growing family with strong local roots going back several generations on the island, the resulting space would be used for summer BBQs, fishing retreats, and family gatherings with their three adult children, multiple teenage grandchildren and guests, accommodating up to 20 people. The home is designed with a four-bedroom main house and a compact bunkhouse for the many grandchildren and guests.

Preserving the natural surroundings was of utmost importance for the owners, a senior couple residing at the home. At the owner’s request, intense care and effort during design and construction placed the protection of the trees over construction expediency. Specially engineered foundations for the stone walls used a mix of traditional stem wall, pin piles, and shallow in-wall beams to span over and dodge critical roots as needed. What little treefall required was carefully stored on the site, and is being used as lumber for the farm, cattle fencing, and seasonal firewood for the fireplace and the new fire pit at the edge of the meadow.

The program of the home is broken down into discrete, modestly sized volumes, carefully woven between an array of large Douglas Fir trees, wrapped around a courtyard of natural and native shrubs and ferns. Each building wing was carefully situated to preserve as many significant trees as possible.

A low wall of stacked local Basalt stone organizes the volumes and subtly defines the perimeter of the courtyard. The courtyard becomes the visual and physical link between the different volumes, providing access and connection, but offering separation and retreat when desired.

The Whidbey Farm is designed for longevity and low-maintenance, reducing the life cycle cost of the house for the owners. Nearly all of the exterior materials are designed to be super low maintenance with materials that don’t require an applied finish, or materials they are meant to remain durable for decades to come. Perhaps most important of all, the design is meant to timelessly inspire and delight, keeping the building further away from wasteful remodels and the wrecking ball.

Renewable natural materials and a low maintenance exterior, chosen to increase in natural beauty with age, emphasize durability and minimize waste stream contributions over the building’s life cycle.

Exposed concrete with 50% fly ash is used in lieu of cement, meaning no maintenance is required. Integrally colored exterior panel siding also requires zero maintenance of painting, while locally sourced western Red Cedar exterior siding will weather beautifully with time.

The building is heated using a super high efficiency gas boiler with radiant heat. Large operable panels of glass throughout encourage natural ventilation and passive cooling, from breezes coming up the hill from the pond, eliminating the need for air conditioning.

Having addressed the various environmental and longevity design requirements, the mmworks team also planned for various social spaces in the home, whether for intimate conversation or larger gatherings. The focal point of the home is the living pavilion, where an open design connects the living, dining, and outdoor patio area. With glass windows spanning the entire length of the space, warm sunlight enlivens the space, adding energy to family interactions and conversation.

The open kitchen design with a large kitchen island is another area for casual gatherings in between meals, whether it’s to nibble no the season’s fine wines and cheeses, or even grabbing a quick snack in the afternoon. The living pavilion is the space where lives intersect so the designers have provided various spaces for these encounters to occur and to encourage residents to pause and enjoy the moment together.

The living pavilion also houses a connected outdoor covered patio that lets the residents enjoy the outdoors rain or shine. Two chairs placed side by side urge residents to take a seat and gaze at the wondrous nature setting on the meadow below as time goes by. A thoughtful detail in the patio overhead design provides for a simple cutout, where residents can choose to bask in the sunshine by simply shifting their chairs over a few feet.

The bedrooms take on a similar simple and nature oriented design aesthetic, featuring a natural, calming colour palette of wood and clean walls. From the bedding to the lighting, items are minimals and pared back, allowing the scenic forest to take center stage.

As the evening shadows settle in, the home nestled amongst the soaring trees gives off a soothing ambient glow, like a firefly meandering in the forest, perfectly hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the island. Few places are like the Whidbey Island Farm residence, which offers a tranquil setting for a family retreat, quiet afternoons spent reading in the library or breathing in the summer breeze on the patio, and evenings by the fire catching up with family.

PROJECT DETAILS

Whidbey Island Farm Retreat

Whidbey Island, Washington

Architect and Interior Design: mwworks

General Contractor: Dovetail General Contractors

Structural Engineer: PCS Structural Solutions

Landscape Design: Kenneth Philp Landscape Architects

Photography: Kevin Scott

mwworks design team

Steve Mongillo

Drew Shawver

Eric Walter

Briony Walker

Suzanne Stefan