bridges active and quiet spaces to promote harmony in two parts

Set among the trees on Vashon Island, Dockton House rises quietly from a forest clearing. The home is composed of two distinct wings — a living block and a sleeping nest — connected by the sheltered entry breezeway where light and air pass freely through. The living wing, with its generous shed roof, houses the family’s shared spaces, while the quieter sleeping wing tucked near the forest edge offers refuge and privacy. The structural system combines wood and steel with glulam beams and doug fir purlins extending beyond the envelope to create deep eaves and covered decks. At the interior the exposed floor and roof structure create a harmonious rhythm over one’s head and light that filters through the trees and into the building play shadows across surfaces. Cedar and steel mark the contrast between shelter and exposure, each aging in harmony with the island climate. Radiant concrete slab floors and energy efficient mini splits ensure comfort year round. A green roof and solar ready flat roof over the sleeping nest enhance sustainability while the material palette — warm wood siding for the living wing and durable metal for the sleeping nest — express the dual nature of the program. Dockton House is a study in balance: between wood and metal, openness and quiet, land and sky.

Project Completion: In Construction
Project Location: Vashon Island, WA
Square Footage: 2,500
Structural Engineer: Quantum Consulting Engineers
Contractor: Project Owner

Architectural blueprint showing multiple building floor plans, including bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, stairs, and outdoor areas.

Modern two-story house with large windows, wooden siding, and a spacious balcony, set in a green forested area with birds flying overhead.

Modern house with wooden exterior, large windows, and a cantilevered balcony with a metal railing, set in a green landscape.

Interior of a modern home with a large wooden staircase and floor-to-ceiling windows showing greenery outside, a man looking at the stairs.

Modern living room with wooden ceiling beams, green sectional sofa, black coffee table, and built-in wood shelves with books and firewood. Two people are sitting on the sofa near a large window. Dining area and staircase are visible in the background.

A woman and a man sitting on leather sofas in a bright, modern living room with large windows, wooden ceiling beams, and wooden flooring.

A red crane lifting a wooden wall panel during the construction of a house, with a partially built wooden structure, trees, and a clear blue sky in the background.

Two-story house under construction with wooden framing, a crane to the left, and lumber scattered on the ground, surrounded by trees.

Wooden framing construction of a building with plywood walls and an open upper level, surrounded by construction tools and greenery outside.

Wooden house under construction with a partially built upper level, surrounded by green grass and trees, including a large evergreen tree, on a cloudy day.

Two-story house under construction with wooden framing and partial roof, construction materials and tools on site, worker on the left, surrounded by trees and cloudy sky.

View from inside a house under construction, showing a large open wall opening facing a grassy backyard with trees. The house has exposed wooden beams and framing.

Interior view of a house under construction with wooden framing, two workers, ladders, and construction tools, surrounded by green trees outside.

Construction of a modern house with wooden framing and scaffolding, workers on site, surrounded by trees under a blue sky.

Construction site of a house with wooden frame and scaffolding, surrounded by trees and grass, under clear blue sky.

Construction site with wooden framing, scaffolding, a red ladder, and a nearby forested area.

House under construction with Tyvek wrap, scaffolding, and a large deck, surrounded by trees and a grassy yard.

A modern house under construction with scaffolding, large windows, and a wooden roof extension, surrounded by trees on a sunny day.

View of a construction site with wooden framing, ladders, tools, and building materials inside a partially built structure.

Interior of a house under construction, with exposed wooden beams, stairs, and a worker measuring and working with tools amidst construction materials and wiring.

An interior view of a room under construction with large glass sliding doors opening to a backyard with chairs, a shed, and trees. The ceiling has exposed wooden beams and there are construction tools and supplies scattered around.

Interior view of a wooden staircase under construction in a house with large windows showing trees outside.

Interior of a wooden construction site with large windows, a person working on the wall, and a ladder in an unfinished room with visible wooden beams and natural light.

Interior of a room under construction with exposed wooden beams, a large window, a door leading outside, construction tools, chairs, a table, and construction materials.

A rooftop deck with two black lounge chairs and a wooden patio chair, surrounded by a forest of tall green trees under a clear blue sky.

Construction site on a building's upper floor with a wooden roof, large windows, scaffolding, and construction materials.

Construction site of a wooden balcony with a new roofing structure, scaffolding, and a view of trees and a parked red vehicle outdoors.