Wyss Family Container House by Paul Michael Davis Architects
Recently redesigned and extended by Paul Michael Davis Architects, Wyss Family Container House is an inspiring single family house is located in the Seattle Area / Washington.
About Wyss Family Container House
A Bold Vision for a Unique Home Addition
The Wyss family approached Paul Michael Davis Architects (PMDA) with a vision to design a bold, unusual, and adventurous addition to their existing 1950s split-level home, perfect for raising their three active boys. They were particularly drawn to the idea of repurposing shipping containers.
Blending Traditional and Contemporary Styles
Balthasar and Stephanie Wyss, the clients, requested that the house design fit into the style of the existing traditional neighborhood, while incorporating new, contemporary elements. The remodel needed to reflect the unique history and development of the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest. Key themes included the region’s roots in vast untouched forests and the wilderness of the Cascades and Olympic mountains; Seattle as a center for global trade and a gateway to the Pacific and Asia; the region’s status as a technology hub with hi-tech companies and global retailers; the international roots of the Wyss family [Basel, Switzerland]; and, the design’s function as a communal gathering place connecting various parts of the house in a simple flow, with a living room and kitchen at its centers. At the same time, there should be quiet areas for contemplation and reflection.
Incorporating Shipping Containers with a Creative Approach
While the firm found numerous examples of buildings made entirely from shipping containers, it seemed inappropriate to place a large stack of shipping containers next to the existing house in this neighborhood with a clear vernacular language. Instead, PMDA opted to treat the containers more like found objects, or even artworks. They designed a simple rectangular volume on the west side of the house to create an informal entry courtyard and, more importantly, to serve as a neutral container for the containers. The new addition includes a garage on the street side and a large multi-purpose space that steps down with the topography.
Collaborative Construction for an Innovative Project
The project required a higher level of collaboration with the contractor than usual, as many of the techniques employed were completely novel, such as welding together three shipping container doors and placing them on a 30-foot-long (9.14 meters) sliding track. Dick McDonald, Roger Reynolds of Karlstrom Construction, and their team of about 25 subcontractors all rose to the occasion, inspired by the chance to try something creative and new, as well as rectify some unfortunate mistakes in the original house.
Functional and Aesthetic Benefits of Shipping Containers
Now that the Wyss family has moved in, the shipping containers serve as both a backdrop and functional necessity for their lives. The giant sliding door can divide the living space into two when sound or social separation is needed, the indoor container houses a small bath and mudroom that get daily use, and the outdoor container is ready to be a work-from-home retreat.
Photography by Mark Woods
Visit Paul Michael Davis Architects
- by Matt Watts
