Architects: Best Practice Architecture
Area: 2617 ft² + 380 ft² deck
Year: 2024
Photography: Rafael Soldi
Construction: Bellan Construction
Collaborators: Smith Lubke Engineering, Unique Art Glass (Custom stained glass windows), Cambium, Inc. (Landscape Design & Installation)
City: Seattle, Washington
Country: USA
Lil Shingle’s residential project, designed by Best Practice Architecture in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood, redefined age-inclusive domestic design through intergenerational authorship and spatial adaptability and was completed in June 2024. The project was developed in collaboration with the homeowner and her three daughters, integrating architecture, stained glass, and visual art into a unified environment focused on long-term accessibility. The layout includes step-free entry, a main-floor suite, and open gathering areas linked to a deck with lake and mountain views. A lower-level ADU extends functional flexibility for guests or multigenerational use. Exterior zones—such as a zen garden, firepit lounge, and structured landscaping – reinforce the home’s integration with its site and enhance the programmatic intent of family continuity.
Most impressive detail shows an appreciation for material properties, is expressive of its function, and has just enough style to catch your attention.
Interview with Ian Butcher, Kailin Gregga, Kip Katich of Best Practice Architecture
Lil Shingle is a single-family residence in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood, designed by Best Practice Architecture as an age-in-place home that centers on multigenerational living and collaborative authorship. The project reflects a familial process, with contributions from the homeowner and her three daughters architecture by the middle daughter and Best Practice Principal, stained glass by the youngest (Unique Art Glass), and art and photography by the eldest.
The plan prioritizes accessibility through spatial clarity and a compact organization that allows the owner to live primarily on one level. Step-free access from the garage leads directly to the main floor, where a primary suite with laundry and generous communal areas create a functional, everyday living environment. This spatial arrangement supports ease of movement while maintaining open zones for family gatherings.
A large deck, accessed through sliding doors, extends the living space outdoors and frames uninterrupted views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains. Designed for flexibility, the deck enables larger social functions while reinforcing the visual connection between the interior and landscape. Below, a fully equipped accessory dwelling unit provides options for guest accommodation, rental income, or future multigenerational occupancy.
The spatial configuration balances private and communal zones, ensuring individual quarters remain separate while shared spaces support interaction. Outdoor areas were conceived as extensions of the interior program. A planted zen garden occupies the front yard, offering a calm visual threshold. A firepit lounge on the lower level and structured landscape installations by Cambium, Inc. establish multiple layers of outdoor use.
Lil Shingle demonstrates how domestic architecture can embed emotional continuity through design. The project integrates generational contributions within a coherent, adaptable framework that responds to present needs while anticipating future modes of living.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Mount Baker, Seattle, Washington, United States
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
