CITY APARTMENT - OLSON KUNDIG ARCHITECTS

PROJECT:     City Apartment
DESIGN:        Jim Olson / Olson Kundig Architects
LOCATION:   Seattle, Washington
DATE:             2008
PHOTO:          Benjamin Benschneider

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Located in downtown Seattle, this duplex apartment looks out to a forest of high-rises. These dramatic vistas are complemented by the tactile and serene interiors.  The owners wanted the easy comfort of the big suburban house they lived in before downsizing to a city apartment.  Olson responded to this request by giving them clean modern lines and a warm wood palette that instill tranquility, expand the space, and provide an appropriate setting for a collection of contemporary paintings and sculptures.  Privacy and light are controlled by moving panels of translucent glass that are suspended from a ceiling track.  Interior designer Holly McKinley designed furniture pieces that meld with the architecture.

The apartment is bisected by a niche-filled partition of Anigre wood that provides a display wall for small sculptures and art objects while animating the space around. The niches are lit from translucent plexi panels, which produce a soft glow. Kitchen and family room open to one another and are separated by a hearth. Public and service spaces are located on the main level, and upstairs are private rooms, which include the master suite and guest suite, along with a media room that is soundproofed so as not to disturb the neighbors.
(Text by Michael Webb, adapted from Jim Olson Houses)

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