This Seattle infill project places two independent homes on a single residential site, demonstrating how added density can still provide the privacy, identity, and sense of ownership typically associated with a detached house. Although the two residences are technically connected, that connection is intentionally minimal. Each home has its own entry, architectural expression, and relationship to the site, allowing them to live and feel as separate homes.

The design uses a shared architectural language to establish a relationship between the two homes without making them identical. Familiar gabled forms are simplified and reinterpreted, while contrasting exterior materials give each residence a distinct identity. One is defined by paired gabled volumes and a lighter exterior palette, while the other takes on a darker, more vertical character. Together, they feel related without feeling repetitive.

The design centered on privacy, daylight, and the existing landscape. Much of the mature tree canopy was retained, surrounding the upper levels with greenery and giving the homes the feeling of living among the trees. Windows are carefully positioned to capture daylight and frame views through the canopy, including distant glimpses of the Olympic Mountains, while limiting direct views between the homes and neighboring properties. Clerestory glazing and windows extending into the gabled roof forms bring light deeper into the interiors and strengthen the connection to the landscape. At times, the experience feels less like living in the city and more like being in a treehouse.