Stone Solar —- Seattle, WA
The Solar Studio is a 670 SF affordable prefab 1 bedroom studio, adding a solar-powered additional dwelling unit on an infill lot. The West Seattle studio addresses Seattle’s affordable housing crisis by providing a well-designed prefab building for price-conscious homeowners. The prefabricated unit was constructed off-site in a factory in the Pacific Northwest.
The Solar studio builds environmental responsibility into its very construction. Factory-built components and systems reduce construction waste while providing better fabrication in a controlled environment. The high-performance building envelope provides a healthy interior and minimizes the use of toxic materials and sources local timber. The cedar siding uses a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation called Shou sugi ban- a natural method that uses no chemicals or coatings.
Plan view
Solar Studio was framed in a Pacific Northwest factory and prepped for the solar array, then hauled to the site on a truck, and placed on the foundation for a seamless and fast installation. This method reduced construction costs and waste.
The solar panels meet all the energy needs of the studio and it also powers the adjacent house. The solar array was deliberately designed from the beginning to integrate with the architecture and the south-facing angle toward the sun.
The cedar siding uses a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation called Shou sugi ban - a natural method that uses no chemicals or coatings.
The compact linear kitchen is tucked on the low side of the building with south-facing windows to bring in natural light.
The interior is a one-bedroom open plan studio with a double pocket doors that allow both privacy from the bedroom and open connection with the living space.
Raw carbon steel shelving and Fibrex windows are used as part of a natural and eco-friendly material palette.
The high-performance building envelope provides a healthy interior and minimizes the use of toxic materials and sources local timber.
Design Team: Matt Wittman