Hipp Vacation House
This small residence located on a peaceful cove on the Hood Canal in Mason County, Washington provides the Owner a weekend or summer retreat from the urbanity of Seattle. The pie shaped lot is constrained by the setbacks required from the mean high tide and an existing septic system. The Owner’s program called for a two-story structure with approximately 1,750 square feet including a prow-shaped Living Room fronting the Canal, Dining, Kitchen, two second floor Bedrooms, two Bathrooms and Garage. Due to the Owner’s limited budget at the time of the main construction, a Master Bedroom suite initially designed for the Project was not realized but is now under construction was to be accommodated in a future phase of the project and had to be taken into account in the design of the project and positioning on the property. The Garage was also to house boat storage and staging area for recreational equipment and gear.
The Owner wanted to evoke a more traditional “East Coast Cape Cod” aesthetic which suggested the use of gray cedar stained exterior shingles. A large expansive deck at the rear of the structure off the “prow” of the Living Room visually extends the one-and-a half story height of the living area out to the view. The structure was designed to stand on its own without the Master Bedroom wing (which will be added in the future) which when built will sandwich the Living Room between it and the two-story portion containing the other building components.
In an effort to reduce costs the Owner contracted the shell only and will be finishing the interior on his own. The shell of Main House was completed in the fall of 2002 the Master Bedroom Suite and Interior Finishing under construction 2011 to 2012.
