Situated in a narrow side yard between two tall townhouses in Seattle, this compact urban deck provides shade and sanctuary during the heat of summer. Yes, even in Seattle we need to find refuge from the sun during the middle of summer! And its amazing how much of a micro-climate is created within this space, where the temperature can be several degrees lower from the rest of the yard. Because utility companies still need access to all the meters, those are not hidden, but rather become part of the landscape. Corten steel ribbons create both steps and terraces down to the deck. Shade planting includes Selaginella, Acorus pulsillus, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Heuchera caramel, and Dryopteris erythrosora.