The Raye Street House by Ryan Rhodes Designs
In 2006, Cousins Ryan Rhodes (Designer/Principal – Ryan Rhodes Designs) and Jason Rhodes (Attorney/Principal – JMR Law Group) purchased a 7,000 square foot view lot on the top of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington. On the lot was a warn-down, non-conforming house built in 1909 that was beyond both financial and physical salvage.
Ryan and Jason began working together designing this speculative/custom modern residence. Sean Meek, the owner of Logan’s Hammer: Building & Renovation, joined the team to construct the project, and helped turn an ambitious prospect into a reality.
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Site concept: This “Urban-infill” house is thoughtfully sited to the North portion of the lot in order to maximize the unobstructed views while creating a large, private yard to the South. The house takes advantage of the views and natural topography while creating easy access for both vehicles and pedestrians. It was important to create a foot-friendly access to the house, while maintaining ample off-street parking for both owners and visitors alike.
Design concept: This custom urban home works to bring a contemporary style of living together with hints of traditional Queen Anne aesthetics by incorporating a subtle blend of clean, modern lines with rich comfortable materials. The house is essentially two simple forms (a rectangle and a box) that are juxtaposed to take advantage of the dynamic views.
Visit the website of Ryan Rhodes Designs – here.
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David on 18 Mar 2010 at 8:37 am #
As a resident of Seattle I can honestly say that nearly every “Modern” condo, apartment building, small office building etc. built in this city in the last three or so years looks exactly like this. It’s cookie cutter architecture at its worst. No vernacular nothing interesting. No context, Nothing to do with its neighbor hood, just more of the same. It’s only redeeming feature is the fabulous views that come with a site on Queen Anne Hill. I wish I could compliment kindly or be proud of this architectural style, (if that’s what it is) but every neighborhood in Seattle with an open lot has one of these. EEEk!
Lance on 18 Mar 2010 at 2:22 pm #
While not the most “spectacular” house I’ve seen, it’s one of the most perfectly designed homes I’ve noticed on contemporist. Everything seems to just belong in exactly the spot it’s in. The one piece that really makes the home for me, besides the view, is the wonderful fireplace. Nothing silly, just a home built for living.
Tomk on 18 Mar 2010 at 9:36 pm #
I think this is beautiful – 90% of the houses in Seattle are Craftsman or just plain generic. Not sure what David is looking for but I appreciate folks making the effort to choose a modern design
marshen on 18 Mar 2010 at 10:23 pm #
I agree with David. Another generic modern flat roofed, wood and stucco clad box. They are being built all over LA where I live. I call it “Recession Modern” like similar modern homes built in the thirties called “Depression Modern.” Nothing wrong with them just nothing innovative or very interesting. They are designed to be fairly economical and livable but that’s about it.
John R on 18 Mar 2010 at 10:43 pm #
Calling this style of architecture “Recession Modern” does not make any sense since it pre-dates the recession by many years. I can show you houses like this that were built in 2004.
DJ on 19 Mar 2010 at 7:34 am #
this is a nice house, but I agree that it is basically generic modernism –
flat roof – check
emphasis on the horizontal – check
lots of glass – check
its a difficult lot, but a uniform exterior such as cortin and an addition of something unexpected such as a cantilevered viewing space would go a long way in separating this from the masses of similar styles – still better than a “tuscan villa” though
uluber on 19 Mar 2010 at 9:18 am #
A very cool house in its own right. As an architect who lives in Seattle, I have to politely disagree with the naysayers – it’s like saying that the million “craftsman” houses around here are “cookie cutter architecture”. I think we need to let go of this notion that “respecting the neighborhood” equals building one craftsman (or similar “old world” style) house after another. There’s nothing endearing about it. Designing houses in 2010 that replicate a style from eight decades ago simply to meet some nostalgic ideal is just as arbitrary. I’m called in to remodel all those “vernacular” houses because they don’t work for modern-day living… what you’re left with is a shell that looks like vernacular architecture… a style.
What is heartbreaking is the number of “cookie cutter” condo buildings of all “styles” that shot up around Seattle over the last decade that don’t show the articulation and attention to detail that the Raye Street House exhibits.
mostly on 20 Mar 2010 at 11:11 am #
it is obvious that some of the people that liken this house to all the other stamped out modern houses in seattle have not actually seen this house… it is different. being a real estate agent in seattle – and privy to the decisions that were made about this house from inception through completion – i’m intimately aware of why it is what it is… and what it is, is a very clean, livable house that met the goal it was intended to meet, which was to create a speculative house that would inspire other speculative home builders to move away from the boring cookie-cutter psuedo craftsman garbage that is strewn out all over seattle, while appealing to a wide audience (again – speculative). what people cannot see from these photos is that every decision that went into this house was economic…and no one was trying to win any design awards. quite the opposite. this house became a study in what can be done on a VERY tight budget… and to wholesale throw it into the mix of “every other modern home in seattle” is naive, baseless noise.
Hammer on 22 Mar 2010 at 9:26 am #
If you want something that lookes like everyone else, good for you. If you want to step away from the pack and live in a work of art, then this is a great example. Having built this house, i understand first hand the Architects chalenges and decisions he was forced to make to pull this beautiful home off. The site, having amazing views, proved to be a challenge. This house is an example of what creativity and team work can pull off.
David on 23 Mar 2010 at 1:46 pm #
We have now heard from a realtor associated with this home and the builder. I am awaiting a strong defense from the architect and his brother. As a design professional who has the great privilege of spending days and sometimes weeks in some of the great and legendary examples of modernism in America. From homes by Schindler, Neutra, A. Quincy Jones, Lloyd Wright and Frank LLoyd Wright, Paul Rudolph and numerous others all across America my views on this topic, dear MOSTLY, are neither “naive” nor “baseless noise “. These are homes that also had great challenges both economic, structural, and site wise to overcome. Most built for middle class families on tight budgets. The great difference is that they were brimming with forward thinking, creativity, and vision.
This home is a missed opportunity, no more, no less, and a very expensive one to boot.
I personally took the time to visit this home the other day. It is not, by any means a “work of art”. And to state that it is, is to insult every visionary and creative architect, young and old who pushes the bounds of what is possible regardless of economics and available resources and builds something unique and interesting.
Falling Water is a work of art. Case study home #22 is a work of art. This is sameness and banality. Do not confuse this homes inherent livability with all the other things that it is is not. The Contemporist features some sterling examples of modernism in Seattle. This just wasn’t one of them
kadhumbula Alex on 30 Mar 2010 at 11:53 am #
am impressed.
your work is good.
but help me know how much does it cost for one
to get this house plan?
thank you.