CRBR

Seattle House Awarded

‘2006 Best Infill Development’

in Athens-Clarke County Georgia

By the Athens Grow Green Coalition
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Building Unique Homes for Creative Living
Seattle House angle viewText Box: Northside Heights: A new style of residential building has come to town. A contemporary design within walking distance of downtown, The Seattle House is an urban-style plan that is the first of four uniquely inspiring homes in the Northside Heights development. From the materials of construction to the interior and exterior design, the home is a totally creative living space. This home offers new ideas and a new look to the Athens housing market. A perfect example of green building. When you first drive up to 200 Northside Drive, the first thing you notice about the exterior is that it has the look and feel of a commercial or industrial building. The developers carefully removed select landscape features from the lot preserving much of its natural appearance. This attention to detail, among other things, balances the dramatic features of the building. The exterior wall finishes are a combination of stucco and metal. The Seattle House stands 3 stories tall, measures 34 ft. in height with a low-slope metal roofline and has a very large presence in the neighborhood. The house is designed using many of the concepts that architect Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House, developed for her clients. These concepts are based on the way we live today, that our homes are more than just about the square footage and more about using each room every day. The Seattle House was designed with multiple common and gathering areas, allowing a more efficient use of the interior and exterior space available than typical houses built today. The result is a more easily manageable, comfortably sized home with a much larger feel. When you open the front door you see right away the multiple levels of living space. From the entryway you step down into the main living room and kitchen area. The floors are acid-stained concrete with a high gloss finish and the added benefit of a hydronic radiant-heat floor system embedded in the slab. A cedar tree trunk supports the loft over the kitchen and adds a natural accent to the industrial aesthetic of the interior space. The tree extends from the kitchen floor into the ceiling above the loft. From the living room, the 14 ft. window, and three 6 ½ ft. side windows allow a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape outside, and flood the 15 ft. tall room with natural light. The Seattle House was designed with the majority of the windows having a southern exposure which enables passive solar heating in the winter. The abundant landscaping provides cooling shade in the summer yet allows ample light inside the home. From the living room you go up a short flight of steps to the master bedroom, bathroom and laundry room. The master bedroom features a 10 ft. ceiling, and large closet and a 12’ x 12’ private deck accessed through sliding doors. The bathroom is fully tiled from floor to ceiling in a diamond pattern, has a custom-walk in shower partitioned with a glass wall, and a large diffused-glass block window that floods the room with light yielding a clean, crisp European look. While The Seattle House has aspects of a modern industrial feel with the acid-stained concrete floor, the stainless appliance package in the kitchen, and the railings made from black rebar, the natural wood trim, butcher block countertops and bamboo floors throughout the remainder of the house soften the look and make the home a more comfortable, creative living environment. From the loft above the kitchen you overlook the living room and have a clear view of the custom lighting, which is an artistic mix of industrial materials and household lighting. The two 6 foot long fixtures hang 4 feet from the ceiling and allow for a variety of directional lighting options through the use of separate circuits and dimmer controls. The 100 sqft. loft is large enough for an office, studio space, a separate dining or seating area. Stairs to the 2nd floor continue up from the loft. As you come up the stairs to the 2nd floor you are once again presented with an abundance of natural light, and the custom oval window is the showpiece of the hallway. The common area is large enough for a small seating area beside the stairs and the ceiling opens to the 3rd floor giving the space a very grand feel. There are two bedrooms on this floor with a bathroom in between. This large bathroom is tiled from floor to ceiling. It features a full tub with shower head and a custom-built toiletries nook. It also incorporates pocket doors which save space. From the second floor the stairs lead you outside to a third floor balcony. On the balcony you have a great view of the open fields across the street and a great nighttime view of downtown. Off the balcony you enter a 250 sqft. bonus room which is separate from the rest of the home. This room’s seclusion makes it ideal for a variety of uses: storage, home office, children’s playroom, home theater, etc. The Seattle House is totally electric with a high-energy efficiency. The first floor walls are an insulated concrete structure that consists of 8” of poured concrete with 2” of polystyrene on each side of the concrete. The stated R-value of the wall system is R26, but because of the large thermal mass of the concrete, the thermal performance is more like that of a structure with an R40 (or higher) insulating value. The thermal performance is comparative to being under ground where the temperature is constant year round. The hydronic radiant heat floor system embedded in the first floor is heated from the household hot water heater. This not only allows the concrete to be more comfortable to walk on in the winter, it reduces the amount of energy used to heat the home. Because of the energy efficiency of the insulated concrete walls and the nature of the radiant heat floor system, very little additional heat should be required throughout the remainder of the house. Where additional heat is required, the energy efficient heat pumps will provide ample heat. In the summer, the insulated concrete walls and concrete floor hold the temperature of the rooms cooled by the central air conditioner, which results in using less energy to keep The Seattle House comfortable on a hot day. An additional feature of the home is the structured wiring. Each room and common area inside the house has a modular outlet that has a phone connection, a data port, a cable connection, and an expansion port. These connections are tied to a common patch panel located in the laundry room. Essentially the house is network ready. In addition, the living room is wired for surround sound, and each exterior common area, deck, porch and balcony have speaker ports tied to the living room speaker wire panel. The Seattle House was built for efficiency of not only energy use, it was built to create an efficient and effective living environment, one that matches today’s informal yet creative lifestyles.

The Seattle House

Photo Gallery
Photograph of the front of the Seattle House from the street.