Tumble Creek Cabin by Coates Design in Sync with Nature in Suncadia Resort, Washington

A lovely holiday home designed by Coates Design Architects may be found in the heart of Washington State’s Cascade Mountains at the well-known Suncadia Resort. The house exudes architectural prowess, yet it also blends in with nature, becoming a part of it rather than disrupting it. The home is an excellent addition to a neighborhood that boasts some of nature’s best features, including a Tom Doak golf course on the 2,600-acre property.

The house does a lot to stay inside mother nature’s acceptable, non-reproachable limitations. It sits gently on the enormous countryside, using recycled rustic materials, as if it intends to let the landscape take reign. The architects opted for a sustainable design with a modern aesthetic. The home’s owners, who want to leave this as a legacy for their extended family, authorized the architects to go above and beyond the call to design a modern home with an overpowering roof expressing the visual force of wood associated with its location.

The site receives adverse weather conditions, which presented a challenge to the Coates Design team. The architects were wary of employing conventional artificial cooling methods. There was a need for a sustainable strategy consistent with green building strategies. To develop passive solar solutions in a site that receives a lot of sun throughout the year, the architects developed a broad sloping roof to allow for the placement of solar panels capable of generating 10 kWh of electricity.

Using Tesla Powerwall engineering, this system supplies the home with all the electricity it needs to run. The Powerwall also stores electricity and even provide more power needed to charge the owner’s electric cars in a power station.

The high-end wood elements used in the home interiors range from the window frames to the floors, sofas, walls, and ceilings. The main living areas are flooded with natural light, thanks to the huge amount of windows and glass that line the walls. It is an attempt to connect the inside to the outside. Except for the odd glimpse of the walls and wooden window frames, you must feel as if you are within but an extension of the outside. The large glass takes you out into nature, allowing you to frame the stunning views beyond.

The challenge with floor to ceiling windows that are large and open out into the immersive summer sun is that there can be too much heat absorbed into the home as a result of direct sunlight. To cater for that, a dramatic roof cantilevers almost on every elevation of the house, thereby protecting the windows from direct sunlight and allowing more than enough light to make its way into the house. In addition, the cantilevered roof creates lots of outdoor porches that are covered for sheltering outside with views into the landscape.

The vaulted ceilings across the house supported by exposed steel and wood structural elements give the home a unique look. The repetitive nature of the elements add into the rhythm and pattern that is very evident in the architecture. The concrete chimney, left to stay true to the rustic nature of concrete, creates a focal point inside the main living area.

This solid bulk, together with regions of concrete floor, acts as a thermal heat sink, allowing the temperature within to remain steady and comfortable. To accommodate family members, the main residence has two primary bedroom suites as well as a bunk room. A separate bunk house provides recreational space as well as an additional bedroom suite. The two-car garage includes an electric vehicle charging station, a wine cellar, and ample storage.

Architect’s thoughts and statement: “When striving for optimal energy efficiency in home design, the sweet spot is being able to combine efficient appliances and mechanical systems with a tight building envelope, and supply it all with clean energy, such as wind or solar. Getting that combination right ensures a home lives well into the future—like this cabin, which is intended not just for now, but also for the generations to come down the road.” Coates Design President and Principle Architect, Matthew Coates