“BLK_LAB uses a series of thoughtfully placed windows to achieve a combination of passive solar design and an advanced thermal envelope,” says architect Christopher Patano, founder of Seattle firm Patano Studio Architecture. The home is insulated with cellulose, a material made from 85 percent post-consumer recycled content, which is densely packed into each stud cavity.
Seattle-based architect Christopher Patano and his wife had a vision for their 1950s ranch-style residence: to transform it into a home that used as little energy as possible. They decided to build upon its existing foundation and let the conditions of the south-facing lot—a valued commodity in the gray Pacific Northwest—guide their design. Named BLK_LAB for the family dog, Macy (a black lab), the home reflects the couple’s love of modernism and nature by combining functional forms with locally-sourced materials to create light-drenched living spaces. A south-facing band of large fiberglass windows along the three-story stairwell and upper deck pulls sunlight into the home. Strategically located operable windows allow for natural ventilation during warmer months, with breezes rolling off nearby Elliott Bay. Features like LED lighting, an induction cooktop, and radiant floors help minimize BLK_LAB’s carbon footprint; a solar array is being installed this month to further reduce the need for off-site energy.
