Upper Alki
Residence
By chance, we met two brothers while they were searching for property in West Seattle on which to build their dream homes, each with partners and plans to build lives in new dwellings. They brought Rhodes Architecture + Light in to design their spaces, envisioning places for their future families to grow, good light, openness and connections to green spaces.
The Upper Alki Residence was commissioned by the elder of the brothers. While the West Seattle Courtyard Residence (the younger brother’s home) embraces its private sheltered outdoor park with inward-facing serenity, Upper Alki rises atop a West Seattle hillside, embracing views of Puget Sound with elevated gathering spaces and expansive windows.
From the street, the residence is a modest two-story contemporary Mid-Century Modern home, while the rear of the home reveals three stories of transparent, layered massing—balancing privacy, and modesty at the street, and openness and light at the back where living, dining, and community/play space is focused on western views.
The daylight basement became an ideal location for the owner’s special request: an indoor pool. RA+L designed a pool room that opens to the backyard via a full-height lift-slide door system, transforming the space into a seamless indoor/outdoor retreat and making the pool enjoyable in any season. The main floor is an open, flowing plan; the kitchen, living and dining rooms all feature uninterrupted floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the views above Alki, Seattle's beach community.
The top floor reserves the most breathtaking vistas for the bedrooms. Designed as a tranquil haven, this level invites moments of peace—whether it's watching the morning mist lift over the water, bathing at a round "moon" window, or taking in the golden hour at day's end. Natural day-lighting and control of western light were crucial design influences for the home which includes some unique elements to celebrate views and light including the "moon" bath window, complementing round skylight, artistic stairwell openings and a "gull-wing" roof. These features create unique experiences of life infused with light, water and sky.
The Upper Alki Residence blends the funky spirit of Atomic Mid-Century Modern design with contemporary materials and technology. Still under development, it continues to evolve—and we’re excited to see where the architectural journey leads.