Vertical House Raises Sustainable Seattle Living to New Heights. A successful urban house plan is about a smart use of space - however limited it may be. Thus, the forward thinking designers and builders at First Lamp Architecture and Construction transformed this small square plot of Seattle land into a stunning vertical house that raises dense city living to new heights - literally. When you can't built out, you built up. Measuring just 25 ft. wide, this narrow lot house design offers bright, airy interiors, topped by a steeply pitched roof that makes it a literal peak in this residential neighborhood. Add to this a cool, edgy style and eco elements, and this sustainable house is smart on so many different levels. Check it out. This long and lean home is dubbed Level House, inspired by Archimedes who famously said, "Give me a place to stand and I shall move the Earth with a lever." Thinking vertically, the designers created three storeys with two separate apartments, From the architects, " Due to the slender proportion of the lot, the units are arranged in a front-to-back configuration relative to the street. The street-facing, one-bedroom unit is 840 sq. ft., and the east-facing, three-bedroom unit is 1,440 sq. ft." By using a mix of materials, the architects achieved a contemporary style home perfectly suited to the city. Though space is at a premium, this urban house design manages to incorporate some outdoor living space on every level - a rarity. Interiors are warm and welcoming - not pretentious by any means. This livable interior balances a cool aesthetic with practical design. We love this small but sweet eating area, featuring an artfully halved rustic wood dining table "emerging" out of the wall. Less really is more, especially in this small space where this table seats five comfortably - what more to you need? But, if you do need more, here's a great casual nook complete with a round patio-style table and wire chairs, bringing an alfresco feel indoors, complemented by the wall-to-wall window and the exposed concrete lower wall. The window overlooking the interior "patio" also opens to a private outside patio area. The living room also echoes this modern mix of urban and rustic, with a concrete floor and a wood coffee table that puts simplicity in the spotlight. A giant sliding glass wall opens to the garden outside. This linear kitchen offers storage space, prep areas and even a window against the rear wall - granted, it eats up a bit of the storage area, but is surely a welcome addition and unheard of in apartment-style homes like this one. The wood stairs are as much an aesthetic element as a functional one. The slatted wall allows light to filter through to the other side. and It's all in the details... This spa inspired bathroom may be small, but appears larger thanks to the glass shower enclosure and the massive mirror, which visually doubles the space light. We love this textures wall in the shower, layered with a contemporary white panel complete with a storage nook cut into it. The rustic wood stool is a great shower seat, and provides extra storage for towels when not in use. Large picture windows in the bedroom are a dreamy addition - one frosted, for privacy. This cool house offers much more living spaces than meets the eye - this 5-Star Built-Green sustainable house includes ductless mini-split heating and air conditioning, a tankless hot water system, LED Lighting throughout, strand woven bamboo, formaldehyde-free BIBS insulation, high-efficiency windows and non-VOC paints and finishes.

• published: 12 Nov 2013
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