False Bay by Heliotrope Architects in San Juan Island, Washington

May 3
2 min read

The clients had long vacationed on the island and wished to create a comfortable getaway home for family and for entertaining friends, eventually shifting the residence to a more frequently occupied home as they age. The couple shared the firm’s interest in a site-sensitive approach to design, as well as a commitment to net-zero energy.

The 2,474-square-foot cedar-clad home is located in the San Juan Island Archipelago along a rocky, windswept shoreline, exposed to weather traveling down the Strait of Juan de Fuca from the Pacific Ocean. Acknowledging a similarity between this rugged Salish Sea shoreline and the windswept coast of northern California, the clients and design team took inspiration from the building forms and weathered materials utilized in the influential Sea Ranch development in Sonoma County. Numerous rock outcroppings were another influence and made locating the home a bit of a puzzle. The design response nestles the home between outcroppings in a “bow tie” footprint adjacent to a significant landward rock feature, limiting site disturbance. The gap between house and rock creates an outdoor room serving as a terrace protected from the wind — an important feature on such an exposed site. With homes to the east and west, views are focused south (to the water) and north (to the rock), while remaining opaque toward the neighbors on either side. The exposed location means few plants can weather the environment. Monterey cypress and native shore pines help wrap and shelter the residence and mix with native cactus and grass. Primary and guest suites occupy the ground floor, while a loft suite including bunk beds and reading nook are located above with views northward over the top of the rock.

Interiors are calming and neutral, featuring a mix of cedar and plasterboard wall surfaces, wood floors and earth-toned tile work. Furnishings are comfortable, cozy and organized to take advantage of views, which abound from every space. The open plan living spaces include an 11-foot carbonized-wood dining table that reinforces the visual connection between the home and the rocky shoreline. Large, sliding glass doors connect the indoors with outdoors.

The building envelope includes beyond-code insulation and window performance, high-efficiency heating with heat-recovery ventilation, an airtight envelope tested at 1.5 ACH, and an 8 kW solar array. The house is calculated to exceed the 2030 Challenge for energy performance.

Heliotrope Architects design team

Joe Herrin, AIA (Principal in charge)

Chris Wong (Project Manager)

Rachel Belcher (Designer)

Project team

Architecture: Heliotrope

Interiors: Heliotrope with owners

Contractor: DME Construction

Landscape: Garden Artisan Landscapes

Structural Engineer: Swenson Say Faget

Mechanical Engineer: Beyond Efficiency

Geotechnical Engineer: Stratum Group