Music Box Residence: Contemporary Home with Intimate and Communal Qualities Design

Built by OTIS Construction, Music Box Residence is a contemporary home with large volumes. This house is designed with intimate and communal qualities of family and music. The husband of the family needs a special space for his boisterous instrument while the wife also needs a perfect space for her students who come to play and learn piano.

Structure

Music Box Residence is located on the steep lot with awesome views of the Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens. This house has a multi-level structure and surrounded by concrete walls on its lowest level. The timpani rehearsal room can be found at this lowest level. Music Box Residence is not only a living place but also a studio for an intimate music.

Details

The husband of this house family is a member of the Oregon Symphony. He needs a special space for his boisterous instrument, especially when he is practicing. The piano studio is located on the main level of the house, a studio for the wife’s student to play and learn piano. This studio opens to the main living room and also the outdoor living area for parties and recitals.

On the upper level of the house, the guests, parents, and couple’s children can have a great time together. There is also an electronic roof hatch pivots open that reveal the rooftop deck. From this rooftop deck, the awesome views of the city, mountains, and forest park can be enjoyed easily. It provides additional relaxing space for the family.

Materials

With the “U” shaped plan, this contemporary home has large volumes that can be found on both sides. The glass two-story entry space is located in the middle of the sides, adding an elegant style to this house. There is also a long bridge leads from the sidewalk to the main entrance of the house with a bamboo forest below. The exterior comes in a black stained siding just like a charred wood or a “shosugi ban”. It pays homage to the family Japanese ancestry.