Rainier View Homes is an 11 unit cottage development south of Seattle, WA. The King County Cottage Code allows for double density when designing small cottage homes centered around a “village green”. This has allowed us to maximize the use of a site that would have otherwise only permitted 5 houses. Rainier View Homes is the first cottage development in the County, and ongoing collaboration with county officials has been essential in guiding this project through the new code.

We started working on this project in 2005, and it was in for permit when abandoned in 2008 due to economic shifts. The property was then sold, and the new owner came to us in 2016 to refresh the design and move it forward into reality. We have had an ongoing collaboration throughout the project with the civil engineer and landscape architect to address slopes, soils, and stormwater management.

Among other benefits, the team approach helped ensure that the commons spaces throughout the development provide ample opportunities to connect with nature on this urban site. The homes have been certified 4 Star Built Green and are solar ready, serving the greater Seattle area’s housing shortage by increasing density as well as providing sustainable contemporary homes to buyers.