Built in 1953 in Seattle’s Seward Park neighborhood and named after its first owner, the Dowell residence reflects Kirk’s classic Northwest, Asian-inspired aesthetic. Over the years, subsequent renovations had gradually stripped the character from the home, eroding the features that defined the architectural gem. Olson Kundig consulted historic photos of the well-documented residence, and in many cases were able to find original replacements for damaged or worn items.

New and found furnishings with Scandinavian and Japanese undertones were incorporated into the living room, where a television and entertainment system was tucked behind a custom steel cabinet with a pivoting door. A custom-sized table and chair set graces the dining room, designed by the late Northwest woodworker George Nakashima (whose company is now run by his daughter). Original light fixtures — a pendant light in the dining room and conversation-starting “cricket” fixtures in the atrium — remain.