Buchter Retreat

by David Coleman / Architecture

This 2000 SF retreat in Washington’s San Juan Islands is carefully sited to preserve the natural landscape. The design reinterprets the "summer camp" in a modern way, complete with sleeping pavilions, a great room, and covered porches – inspired by the platform tents and national park lodges of the last century. A 60’ long, glass and timber-framed porch gives order to the site and connects the three pavilions, positioned at angles to orient them towards specific views and landscape features. Details are refined and expressive– built-in benches wrap the perimeter of the porch; window glazing extends up to the underside of the flat roofs; corners are cantilevered to float like the branches of the trees in the surrounding forest.