Miller Hull’s cabins on Decatur Island

I was surfing the web and stumbled upon Miller Hull’s site and saw these two stunning cabin’s of the coast of Washington on Decatur Island.

Novotny, located on Decatur Island, is perched on a steeply sloping site which terminates in an abrupt rock cliff at the waters edge. The cabin is shared by two couples who use it on an alternating schedule. The 840 s.f. structure is entered from a bridge onto the upper floor living/kitchen/dining area. Glass surrounds all four sides and deep six foot overhangs extend out to protect the outdoor decks.

The lower floor elevations are solid with punched windows at the built-in beds. The upper floor post and beam construction extends out of the solid lower walls. The thirteen foot wide plan provides exterior elevations reminiscent of forest service lookout stations.

 

There is also the Gordon Bounds Residence

The site, a 100' diameter circle on a steep forest clearing, is part of a planned island development where special care has been taken to isolate each circular property and take advantage of the terrain. All construction materials were barged to the site.

Compactness, economy and a desire to feel open to the spectacular views were paramount considerations expressed by the family. The 600 s.f. structure contrasts between a compact sleeping core and an open roof structure containing living and dining space. The 7'-6" core acts as a stiffener. In contrast to the enclosed core, the living and dining space feels expansive, opening out toward the views, under a roof canopy of heavy timber beams.

The enclosure is completed by an infill system of wood framed double-glazed roll-up garage door sections turned on end. This very inexpensive system utilizes many full height operable panels for natural ventilation and is set back 5 feet under the roof overhang. Three porch areas connected by stairs also are protected by the roof, while a circular projecting deck cantilevers out over the steep site.

Both of them are spectacular designs.  On a slightly different note, the Miller Hull website is one of the better designed architectural websites I have seen.  No Flash, excellent photographs, and some great descriptions of their projects.