American studio MW Works has created an "intentionally modest" dwelling in the Pacific Northwest that serves as a nature retreat for a multi-generational family.

The project, called Whidbey Island Farm, sits on a perch overlooking a meadow where cattle graze. Its name refers to its location ? Whidbey Island, located just north of Seattle in the Puget Sound.
The dwelling serves as a country home for a senior-aged couple, their three adult children and their grandchildren. The property ?which features mature trees, a fishing pond, chicken sheds and a red barn ? has been in the family for several generations.

The owners turned to Seattle studio MW Works to create their special retreat. The house needed to be flexible, durable and able to accommodate up to 20 occupants. It also needed to "reflect the layered history both of the site and of the family itself". Situated on a gently sloping site, the house consists of three rectilinear volumes organised around a central courtyard. Crossed by pathways, the courtyard is filled with native greenery and is bordered by a low wall made of local basalt.

"The courtyard becomes the visual and physical link between the different volumes, providing access and connection, but offering separation and retreat when desired," the team said.
The home's facades consist of western red cedar siding and large windows that provide a strong connection to the landscape. The home is meant to blend with the natural terrain...