Photo: Aaron Leitz

Woodway Residence

Woodway, Washington

Home to an active family of five, Woodway Residence inhabits a series of planes that float above a restored meadow. Replacing an existing home that had been oriented away from views to the meadow and forest beyond, blurred boundaries throughout Woodway Residence provide constant connections to nature. A quiet architectural character respectfully defers to this natural context and allows the home to sit lightly on its special site.

Woodway Residence

Entry Sequence

Woodway Residence’s quiet neighborhood‑facing side directs the energy of the home toward the landscape. A circular driveway provides ample parking, while an attached garage preserves space for the family to collaborate on projects and work on their unconventional car collection. The tactile Cor‑ten steel entry door opens to reveal framed views through the house to the garden beyond, establishing the home as a perch for experiencing the landscape. This central entry sequence opens onto a long circulation spine that links the main gathering pavilion at the north and the more intimate southern bar.

Woodway Residence

Floating Glass Pavilion

The main pavilion, anchored by a steel-framed hearth, functions as the heart of Woodway Residence. Here an open kitchen, dining and living room welcomes large and small gatherings and a built-in pizza oven highlights the family’s love of food and entertaining. Extensive glazing frames views to the surrounding meadow, forest and wetlands, while full perimeter clerestory windows further harvest daylight, a precious resource in the Pacific Northwest.

Woodway Residence
Woodway Residence

Hidden behind panel doors, the main bedroom suite can recede from the activity of the central gathering space while enjoying additional views and access to the site, an oasis within the landscape. Warm wood ceilings and floors throughout foster a comfortable, cozy interior experience that avoids being overly precious or delicate. Sliding glass doors seamlessly extend the pavilion to a series of decks, terraces, gardens and pathways. Generous roof overhangs allow continuous use of these outdoor living spaces even during the rainy season.

Family Wing

Meandering through old growth Douglas firs and cedars, Woodway Residence’s south wing steps down from the main pavilion to follow the site’s gentle slope. West‑facing slot windows throughout the central connecting spine capture the dynamic quality of light and display shifting patterns of sun and shadow. The southern pavilion features additional bedrooms opening onto a central den and gathering space, underscoring the importance of family connections. A kitchenette positions this wing of the home as an independent yet connected living space for older family members to occupy in the future. Framed views and direct access to a landscaped patio further the emphasis on indoor/outdoor living established in the main pavilion.

There is a bit of a zen quality to this house, the way it seems to melt back into the trees while the massing steps to follow the landscape. Inside, even on the rainiest days, the home is full of light. Kevin M. Kudo‑King, AIA, LEED AP
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