Located on a steep rocky waterfront parcel on the West Shore of San Juan Island in Washington, this small craft studio occupies a rocky shelf above and behind an existing main residence.

The clients, a professional weaver and her husband, nearing a full-time move to San Juan, requested a studio space which would house all of her weaving tools: looms, dyeing facilities, a sewing/assembly area, and an office. In addition to using the space for her craft, it would also act as a gallery for her work as well as a meeting space for her weaving guild meetings. In addition to the weaving studio requirements, the clients also requested an overflow bedroom for guests.

The solution is a generous main studio space flowing with natural light that provides ample space for various looms and display while maintaining incremental views of the Sound. The auxiliary spaces have been defined by the folding back of the exterior shell: to one end a bath and office, to the other the dye room. To prevent the dye fumes from permeating the rest of the studio, the dye room can be closed off from the main studio and opened to the exterior. Two additional spaces, the sewing room and a guest bedroom appear as an extrusion of the main volume, embedded into the hillside behind. A series of sliding doors act as display panels for weaving projects as well as hide or reveal access to the back rooms and storage cabinets.