American firm Hoedemaker Pfeiffer used stone, wood and glass to create a main dwelling and guest house for a steep, forested site in the Pacific Northwest overlooking the ocean.
Hillside Sanctuary is located on a remote site in the San Juan Islands, which lie just off the coast of northern Washington.

Seattle firm Hoedemaker Pfeiffer was charged with creating a cosy, waterfront refuge that would consist of a primary dwelling and a detached guest house.

The architects were presented an unusual request. Decades earlier, the client had lost a home to fire in the Appalachian Region in the eastern US. The client asked the firm "not to recreate that home, but rather to give its spirit new form in the Pacific Northwest".
The team conceived a series of stone-clad volumes that blend with the forested terrain. Both dwellings are oriented to provide expansive vistas of the Puget Sound.
The main dwelling is nestled into a gentle slope. The two-storey building consists of a stone base topped with a more transparent upper level.
On the south, ample glazing ushers in natural light while providing views outward. A simple, shed roof tips downward on this side, protecting the interior from the summer sun and offering space for a future photovoltaic array.

The north elevation, which faces a gravel driveway and road, is more opaque. A log store was incorporated into the facade, enabling quick access to fuel for a wood-burning stove.
Within the home, the top level serves as the pr...