An Experiment of Living – Leschi Inventor’s House by Olson Kundig

Located in Seattle, Washington, Leschi Inventor’s House by Olson Kundig is a home that experiments with the functions of spaces. Providing ample areas for living, the house caters to the owner’s love of experimenting by offering places in which they can research, create and live for years to come.

Following a brief that requested a representation of the client’s characteristics, Olson Kundig has supplied a home that reflects the owner’s love for experimentation. With a dynamic palette of materials, the structure has been designed to respond to its location, climate and consistent rain by asserting itself in the landscape and working with the conditions of Seattle.

Following a brief that requested a representation of the client’s characteristics, Olson Kundig has supplied a home that reflects the owner’s love for experimentation.

Arriving at Leschi Inventor’s House, a big yellow front door appears, specifically chosen to be the exact same colour as Caterpillar’s heavy machinery. Finished with a front door deadlock based upon those usually seen within a bank vault, the home’s personality is seen from the outset. Moving on through the house, the staircase is made of industrial level steel and hints at the materials used throughout the rest of the home. Past this, a double-height living space reveals the first approach to unifying the living and experimental spaces – black granite counters with an inbuilt Bunsen burner further continue the residence’s narrative.

With added giant glass panel doors, the living room design can be transitioned into a deck space once the doors are opened, taking advantage of views out to Lake Washington. Built to cantilever off a thick steel pipe, the living room asserts itself over the landscape and into the foliage of various grasses. Additionally, the architect has used the pipe to create the living room’s fireplace without taking away from liveable space. Found upstairs, a loft has been employed with a think space to allow the inventor a place of quite reflection and work, while located in the under croft of the house is the mechanical room. Seen as the most important room within the residence, the downstairs area is an expression of the home’s mechanics and systems and also celebrates all who were involved in the process of building.

Seen as the most important room within the residence, the downstairs area is an expression of the home’s mechanics and systems and also celebrates all who were involved in the process of building.

Choosing to use weathered steel, the architect has directly responded to the home’s location and climate by using materials that work with the weather. Inside, cladded elements in the same weathered steel have been waxed in a natural finish, allowing the steel to remain in the same condition as it came out of the factory. Additionally, by using concrete for the floor on the first level, Olson Kundig allows the owner to experiment with ease and without fear of ruining any materials.

Seen as an assembly of pieces, Leschi Inventor’s House is a display of finessed architecture that responds to the needs of the home’s location. By using the surrounds as a guide, Olson Kundig has delivered a thoughtful residence that represents its owner’s character and interests.