Backyard Studio

Site

This small modern studio sits in the back yard of a traditional Seattle 4-square house on the footprint of the former garage.

Program

The owners are a musician and a video game designer, who use the space as home office, guest house, music studio.

Design

The studio was designed to be flexible, well-lit and modern. Large cement board panels are used on the upper portion, where shapes are angled and irregular, while a 1×4 cedar rainscreen siding is used on the lower section where the building shape is simpler.

Sustainability

• Blown-in Batt insulation (BIBS) – Blown into the stud cavity, the insulation is more densely packed than standard fiberglass roll insulation.
• In-floor radiant heat – In addition to being the most comfortable type of heating system, in-floor radiant heat eliminates the blowing of hot air and dust around a space, improving indoor air quality.
• “Rainscreen” cedar siding system – which is a common practice in contemporary design. This system separates the siding from the drainage plane (building paper) with a 3/4″ air gap, thus reducing the effects of air pressure and capillary action on the wall cavity. This strategy helps prevent water infiltration, and allows the siding to dry evenly on all sides.