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A New House in Seattle Made From Retired Materials

Seattle-based design/build firm Dwell Development LLC partnered with architect Julian Weber to realize this net-zero house in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood. The eco-friendly digs combine modern design with consciously chosen, local materials, that are either natural, recycled, or repurposed.

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Concrete from the public sidewalk that was dug up during construction was used for the pathway leading up to the house.

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The three-story home is spread out over 3,140-square feet and uses salvaged wood and corrugated metal from a barn in the Willamette Valley on the exterior. The metal was used as siding and for the fence. The exterior was also coated with Enviro-Dri, a weather-resistive barrier, instead of using the traditional house paper typically chosen to prevent moisture from seeping in.

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The barn wood was used to build out the soffits above the deck.

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The roof is decked out with solar panels that convert energy to usable electricity, offsetting the energy use caused by the homeowners.

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Triple pane windows keep the house warm inside during the colder months, while the Heat Recovery Ventilator gives the home constant fresh air.

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The concrete floors have radiant heating, which helps keep the energy usage down.

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The same corrugated metal from the exterior was brought inside and used as a finishing detail at the top of the stairs.

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Photos by Tucker English.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.