<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Nestled atop a hill in the San Juan Islands, halfway between mainland Washington and Canada, is a contemporary home built to blend in with its natural surroundings. The property was designed for a young family who loves the great outdoors and wanted a vacation retreat that incorporated nature as much as possible. Large-format windows make up two sides of the one-story home, a feature that architect Joseph Herrin says is what makes the place stand out. \u201CThe family wanted easy, open spaces that flow together with a maximized connection to the site,\u201D says Herrin, who co-owns the Seattle firm Heliotrope Architecture. The home\u2019s unbelievable setting\u2014overlooking a rocky shoreline and waters that are home to the southern resident orca whale\u2014is what drove Herrin\u2019s team to craft a getaway with eco-friendly materials, a green roof, and a footprint that didn\u2019t detract from the raw landscape.\n\nWhen designing the home\u2019s layout, Herrin focused on maximizing the view each room would have. \u201CThe views and the home are strategically related to one another, and large rolling wood panels fully cover the window walls, providing protection from summer sun and winter storms,\u201D he says. Most of the materials used in the home were locally sourced, including the cedar shingles and ceiling planks and the Douglas fir\u2013clad window frames. Herrin\u2019s team also added a green roof that replaced the ground that was lost by the construction of the home, minimizing its environmental impact.\n\nTo outfit the space, the family brought in designer Andy Beers, who quickly jumped on board with the natural inspiration for the space. \u201CThey wanted it to feel serene and simple but with a lot of artistry mixed in for fun,\u201D says Beers, who owns Ore Studios in Seattle. \u201CWe assembled a collection of textures and colors to reference the landscape in a warm, cheerful way.\u201D\n\nThe family\u2019s requests were what one might expect for a home-away-from-home: cozy places to hang out, soft pillows, and enough room to seat a crowd for dinner. \u201CThe house communicates warmth, restraint, and happiness without superfluous elements,\u201D says Beers. \u201CIt\u2019s a very Pacific Northwest approach.\u201D Some of the only accessories in the home come from the homeowners\u2019 personal collection of felled wood bowls by local artist Laura Yeats. Beers says that although it was tempting to try to be clever with the decoration in such a beautiful location, he decided that accessories with simplicity and integrity were exactly what the home needed to feel complete.\n\nView Slideshow1 / 9Located on the San Juan Islands in Washington State, this 1,600-square-foot vacation home was built for a family of four who were looking for a serene and nature-focused retreat from their city lifestyle. Designed by Heliotrope Architects and decorated by Ore Studios, the house features a green roof planted with seeds that were foraged from the property to connect the space to the surrounding landscape."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/modern-glass-house-by-heliotrope-architects>