A reflective pond, a lap pool, and a jacuzzi intersperse and organise the spaces of this residence that Garret Cord Werner designed for an island in the middle of Seattle's Lake Washington.

Located on Mercer Island, the 4,200-square-foot (390-square-metre) home was completed for a client who is a keen swimmer and interested in living close to water.

"An avid swimmer, the client desired a sanctuary within the city, one with privacy but that also took advantage of the site's panoramic views of Lake Washington and the Olympics Mountains beyond," said Garret Cord Werner Architects in a project description.

Called Mercer Island Modern, the three-bedroom home is laid out on two levels. It is traversed by a "spine" of water that divides the interior spaces and provides access to water to multiple different rooms. Two bridges, one covered and the other open to the elements, span this divide.
From the driveway, visitors pass by a reflective water feature that signals the entrance to the home.
"The experience of walking up to and...over water, both inside and outside of the home, creates a dramatic and tranquil feeling that one rarely experiences inside a residential building," said Garret Cord Werner in a project description.

An interior bridge enclosed by glass leads from the foyer to the main living space, an open-concept kitchen, living and dining room with wraparound glass walls that open out onto the landscape. A terrace to the east allows res...