For the third year running, CAST architecture was named as one of the best architects on Houzz.com. Now that the website has a database of more than 3 million photographs representing thousands of firms, it is more of an achievement than ever before. Thanks to all our great clients for continuing to bring fresh challenges! We're looking forward to a great 2015!
CAST crew celebrating Summer!
The siren's call of Seattle's summer has brought everyone back to town. Last night, we celebrated our the solstice (a little late), the return of Holly from Sonoma and Forrest from Madrid, and had a little send off for Gunnar who is heading back to Norway's midnight sun.
CAST has a few other reasons to celebrate:
We're starting a two projects in Mazama (schematic design images upcoming).
Kenny's house is nearing completion:
ho-almost-done
Our first modular home on Bainbridge Island for Michel and Chas just went on the market this morning:
springridge-252
And the Mazama Ranchero is going to be published in a few magazines this fall, as well as the Lichtenstein cottage in a feature about Small Spaces:
litchenstein
Plus, Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands is in permit, ready for construction this fall:
RBUFW-14-0105-entry-path-looking-south
Happy summer, everyone!
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For their efforts on the Anderson Residence, Model Remodel has won a Green Remodeling Excellence award from the Master Builders Association.
Congrats to Jason and his crew for a fantastic job!
We had a fantastic turn out for the Sand Point ElementaryEarth-day work party this past weekend. A special thanks to Loren Yaguchi and all the folks from Abbott Construction's special projects group for donating materials, shop time, and a whole lot of can do to make the benches we designed become a fantastic kit of parts for the community to assemble!
30 new stacking benches for the outdoor classroom fully assembled - a testament to the prep of the folks a Abbott Construction and all the volunteers who turned out to work on our local public school!
Thank you to Carter Capps, pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and Taylor Graham, defender for the Sounders FC for signing autographs and helping with our projects!
Richard Swann author of “Our School Garden” putting the newly assembled benches for the outdoor classroom to good use!
Mark your calendars! The Andersons Residence, a 4 star Built Green home, will be open to the public for touring as part of Northwest Eco Building Guild Green Home Tour on April 27th.
The Anderson residence is a Built Green renovation, addition and transformation of an existing single family home. The plan opened, simplified and streamlined the existing first floor in addition to adding a new second story to provide much needed space for a growing family.
If you are interested in urban agriculture and would like to share your ideas to shape the Rainier Beach Urban Farm, please join us Saturday, July 28th from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm for an open event to discuss the project! Stay for the community picnic or just get your hands dirty during the drop-in work party every Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.
In collaboration with Seattle Tilth, the Friends of R.B.U.F.W., and the Berger Partnership, CAST will be designing an urban farm in Seattle. The site is a former municipal nursery in Rainier Beach--10 acres of mostly wetland with some hoop houses at the north end. We'll be undertaking the challenge to not only make a model for urban agriculture, we'll also be greatly increasing the ecological function of the wetlands.
This project is in one of the most diverse zip codes in the nation, and we'll be involving the community to shape the design, as well as creating facilities for small scale commercial farmers, entrepreneurs, and other programs such as Seattle Youth Garden Works. The hope is to make a community hub centered on growing and sharing food.
The first community design meeting is June 19th on site (time TBD). Please come and share your vision with us!
Great News--We won the 2012 BEST SMALL HOUSE AWARD from Fine Homebuilding magazine. They did a very nice video (link) with interviews of our awesome clients. The Widner's DADU has been covering in our blog before (here and here).
Stefan, Tim and I will be set up on the main floor (room 1). Â Drop by and see us!
We've had a booth for eight or nine years, and it's always a good show--lots of new products, and a chance to talk with contractors, architects, etc in a no-pressure atmosphere.
Join us tonight at Future Shack 2011 for another evening of great dialogue about houses. Â Last year I participated in the 'Speed-Date'---seven minutes to lay out the project and have a design brainstorm, then on to the next architect. Â It was a blast, and this year Tim will be sitting in for me. After Speed Date Design, there will be a presentation of innovative ideas in housing.
Our entry, Urban Olympic, is a nine unit townhouse complex designed to use 90% less energy that typical code compliance housing. Â See our entries over the last few years : 2011, 2009
It is at Fisher Pavillion in the Seattle Center, starting at 5 pm.
CAST architecture and the Miller Hull Partnership have put together an after-work mixer for The 1%, an organization whose design professional members pledge to donate 1% of their billable hours to pro bono causes every year.
The event will have a short program featuring architects and clients talking about the power of pro bono, a question and answer session, light fare and drinks.  Most of all, mix and meet leaders in the Seattle's design profession looking to serve the non-profit sector!
Please let us know that you are coming, by July 22, via  RSVP@MillerHull.com
The Widner Cottage is going to be open to the public twice this summer for tours:
First, the Phinney Neighborhood Association's Home and Garden Tour will roll through on June 12th, from 11-4 pm (see link).
Second, the Cottage will be featured as the AIA Seattle's Open House on July 17th from noon to 3 pm. Â More information here. Â As part of the tour, the house will be published in Seattle Magazine, in the Northwest Home section in July.
