SUNNY BAY RESIDENCE

SUNNY BAY RESIDENCE IS A MAIN RESIDENCE WITH AN ATTACHED APARTMENT LOCATED ON A STEEP AND HEAVILY WOODED SITE IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON. A CREEK CROSSING THE PROPERTY, DIFFICULT SITE ACCESS, AND THE SURROUNDING PACIFIC NORTHWEST LANDSCAPE ESTABLISH THE PRIMARY CONDITIONS FOR THE DESIGN.

THE FOUNDATIONS AND LOWER LEVEL RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE SLOPE AND CREEK WHILE ACCOMMODATING A WORKSHOP. ABOVE THEM, THE MAIN RESIDENCE FORMS A BRIDGE BETWEEN ITS SUPPORTS, CREATING A DISTINCT SPATIAL MOMENT WHERE THE HOUSE SPANS ACROSS THE TERRAIN. THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE CONCRETE BASE AND TIMBER STRUCTURE REFLECTS THE PHYSICAL CHARACTER OF THE SITE AND THE REGION’S LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH WOOD CONSTRUCTION.

THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE COMBINES PREFABRICATED MASS TIMBER COLUMNS AND BEAMS WITH NAIL LAMINATED TIMBER WALL PANELS, CUSTOM STEEL CONNECTORS, AND SELECTED PIN FOUNDATION COMPONENTS. WOOD SLAT CLADDING CONTINUES THE MATERIAL EXPRESSION ACROSS THE EXTERIOR.

THE COMPONENT SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED AROUND THE PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND INSTALLATION. A TIGHT CURVE, SLOPING ACCESS ROAD, AND LIMITED WORKING SPACE RESTRICT THE SIZE OF TRUCKS AND MACHINERY THAT CAN REACH THE SITE. PANEL SIZES, STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS, AND CONNECTION DETAILS WERE STUDIED WITH THE INTENTION OF REDUCING DEPENDENCE ON HEAVY EQUIPMENT WHILE CREATING A LOGICAL ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE.

DIGITAL MODELS, CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, DETAILS, MOCKUPS, AND SCALE STRUCTURAL CONNECTION PROTOTYPES WERE USED TO COORDINATE THE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS, TIMBER COMPONENTS, STEEL CONNECTORS, AND ENCLOSURE. THE PROJECT DEMONSTRATES HOW PREFABRICATION CAN SUPPORT A SITE SPECIFIC DESIGN WHEN LOGISTICS, STRUCTURE, MANUFACTURING, AND ASSEMBLY ARE CONSIDERED FROM THE BEGINNING.