*AIA NWW Merit Award

The Owl’s Nest is the guest house of a private residence on Clark’s Point in Bellingham, WA. The site had been previously disturbed with the foundation of a never finished home, unfinished sport court, and the poured concrete walls of a swimming pool. The 800 sf guest house was sited away from the old foundation to take advantage of a better building site and to create outdoor space. The old foundations and sport court were covered with a new lawn and native plants, and blasted rock wall areas were repaired with on-site boulders and revegetated for a natural look. The old swimming pool was re-filled and upcycled into a calm meditation garden that utilizes the concrete walls instead of demolishing them. Bluestone pavers, on-site boulders, and careful grading were utilized to provide walkways and landscape areas that match the surrounding site. All aspects of the garden focus back on the special ecology of the site and the views to the Salish Sea.

The surrounding land preserve is protected so all landscape areas are naturalistic and fade back to the native plant palette as you get closer to the wild areas. Non-native plants were carefully selected as to not be invasive or appear out of place, while providing accents and colors that an all-native palette may have not been able to achieve. The project team included RMC Architects. Photos: Copyright Ben Benschneider