Text description provided by the architects. Millions of square feet of warehouse roofs exist in cities, occupied primarily by pigeons and mechanical units. In Seattle, many warehouses are near waterways with beautiful territorial views. This small, urban residence exemplifies what is possible when looking at these forgotten landscapes as new opportunities.

Sky Ranch is a small caretaker’s unit—only 20-feet wide by 40-feet long—overlooking an active marina on a working waterfront. Perched on top of a warehouse bigger than a football field, the unit is close to the building’s edge to provide oversight of the marina and waterway below, while taking advantage of sweeping views of the Olympic Mountain range beyond.

Floor plan

This unique space provides an opportunity to re-imagine how people can reconnect to the water in zones where the scale of the ubiquitous industrial structures tends to sever that relationship. With similar industrial warehouses lining many urban waterfronts, there exists a chance to reconnect people with working waterways even in industrialized settings.

© Benjamin Benschneider

• Architects

  The Miller Hull Partnership

• Location

  Seattle, United States

• Category

  Houses Interiors

• Client

  Tom Bayley

• Area

  800.0 ft2

• Project Year

  2008

• Photographs

  Benjamin Benschneider