Two Experimental Townhouses Clad in Cor-Ten Steel Add Density to a Seattle Neighborhood

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners.

Project Details:

Location: Seattle, USA

Architect: Hybrid / @hybridarc

Engineering: Sazei Design Group

Construction: Hybrid Assembly / @hybridarc

Development: Hybrid Development / @hybridarc

Cabinets: Abodian / @abodianinc

Photography: Rafael Soldi / @rafaelsoldi

From the Architect: "Nestled in Seattle’s Central District, Oak & Alder by Hybrid celebrates the city’s past while setting the tone for its future. Complete with a rusted Cor-Ten steel exterior, massive windows, and a pitched roofline, the townhome is inspired by a nearby red brick high school and neighboring craftsman homes. Oak & Alder reinterprets these features into a stylish high-density housing solution that accommodates two very different homeowners.

"In 2018, Hybrid’s founding partner and design principal, Robert Humble, befriended a local brewery owner who had an underutilized side yard on an oversized single-family lot. The owner was planning to sell his home, and Hybrid helped divide the lot and create a new development parcel on the owner’s side yard. Hybrid then purchased the parcel from the homeowner to develop Oak & Alder, transforming the empty lot into two perpendicular units and three parking spots without demolishing or displacing existing residents.

"One unit is occupied by a Copenhagen-based couple who were relocating to Seattle with their two children to launch a video game company. The family fell for Oak & Alder’s dramatic roofline, neutral Scandinavian-inspired color palette, and reverse floor plan. They purchased the home on presale sight unseen, granting them the rare opportunity to personalize their unit. The family selected custom Abodian cabinets in colorful Bauhaus hues and converted the ground level into two small kids’ rooms.

"The front unit was later purchased by an individual looking for a unique home close to his Capitol Hill office. He fell in love with Oak & Alder’s attention to flow and function but was most excited about the abundant natural light from the massive windows. The unit also features a sunlight-filled gasket off the third-story kitchen, offering outdoor access from multiple levels. The most light, however, comes from the top floor’s vaulted solarium, which he uses as a music studio."