Lightbox House: A Photographer's Dream House in Seattle

Lightbox is a 1,500 square foot home for a photographer and his young family in coastal Washington
Its glass and wooden structure is modern in inspiration but modest in scale, a rare balance in 21st century design

A photographer’s dream house is designed around the dance of highlight and shadow. In the forest, these elements are constantly shifting — as the sun is filtered through the trees from dawn to dusk. The architects at Bohlin Cynwinski Jackson have taken to a coastal forest in Washington to design a live/work space for a photographer and his young family. The Lightbox House is filled with natural light, peering out into the trees and the shadows that dance among them each day. For its inspiration and its utility, it is a functional masterwork of modern design.

“It’s a magical little home, one that speaks to the creative identity of both owner and architect.“

The Lightbox is named for its two-story open sunroom that is awash with light throughout the day. It is used for living space for the family, but doubles as a work space for the photographer where a range of studio subjects can be photographed. The photographer isn’t confined to this space, of course, as the location of the home encourages an exploration of the great outdoors beyond its crystalline walls.

The Lightbox house is located next to a 180-acre park overlooking the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound. The park is a grand amenity of this home, as the photographer and his family can explore deep into the woods adjacent to their property. With the ocean just a short hike away, a range of photographic subjects are immediately accessible to the home’s owner.

Despite its modern spirit and the elegance that implies, the Lightbox house is decidedly modest. It spans about 1500 square feet over two floors, and its construction relied on simple materials and structural systems to keep costs low. It’s the perfect size for its photographer inhabitant and his young family. The spirit of the home extends much further than its glass walls, however, as the lines of ownership are blurred deep into the forest beyond. It’s a magical little home, one that speaks to the creative identity of both owner and architect.

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