Elemental Influence – Scout Lake Residence by Stephenson Design Collective

Situated on a peaceful lake, Scout Lake Residence draws from the picturesque and removed surrounds, emphasising natural textures and tactility. Stephenson Collective combines an elemental approach with traditional and familiar forms to propose a home that sits comfortably within the landscape.

Once a boy scout camp, Scout Lake Residence takes its name from the history of the site. The resulting home embraces a sense of place and the calm introspection that comes from living near water. Owned by a creative director of Minecraft with Danish heritage, the parallels between the blocked style of the video game, and its inspiration from Lego, are referenced in the residence’s structure. Scout Lake Residence is a reinterpretation of the traditional brief – clad in timber with deliberately elevated elements in response to the ebb and flow of the water. Stephenson Collective stacks the functions of the home over two separate levels, optimising views out and creating a natural hierarchy in the process.

The resulting home embraces a sense of place and the calm introspection that comes from living near water and its meditative effect.

Comprised of concrete blocks, extensive glazing and darkened timber, reminders of the construction process remain. The heated concrete and timber flooring carry the convenience of a city or suburban home, yet its raw finish reflects the more natural location that it sits upon. Located in Redmond, Washington, the materiality and openness to nature ensure that reminders of the location’s seclusion are present, with the generous insertion of glazing and black-framed thresholds between inside and out directing sightlines to both the lake and the surrounds. Lining the interior with a similar timber binds the residence to the landscape, allowing for immersion to be felt within all areas of the home amid the dense forest.

The first floor allows for more active use with a combined open living arrangement. The open flow between the kitchen, dining and living areas reflects a love of entertaining – the kitchen acts as the heart of the home. Despite the extensive use of concrete throughout, its combination with engineered cantilevering brings a lightness to the dwelling. On the upper level, the bedrooms and more passive areas are pushed further out to be immersed within the canopies of the surrounding trees.

Lining the interior with a similar timber binds the residence to the landscape, allowing for immersion to be felt within all areas of the home among the dense forest.

Capturing key characteristics of the owner and combining them with a respectful acknowledgment of place, Scout Lake Residence emerges as an idyllic escape. Stephenson Collective ensures visual connections remain both internally and externally, expanding the perception of scale and depth in the process.