How Architect Les Eerkes Designed A Hood Canal Retreat Around Nature
When architect Les Eerkes first visited the wooded site of his clients’ future waterside retreat, “It was immediately clear that the architecture had to embrace the richness of the setting,” he recalls. The owners, avid naturalists, wanted a contemporary, glass-walled structure that offered easy interaction with sea and forest, be it an invigorating swim or foraging for mushrooms. The result, Eerkes notes, is a “house dedicated to the enjoyment of the landscape.” In addition to outdoor lounge areas overlooking the water, there is an alfresco kitchen that accommodates the homeowners’ frequent hosting of family and friends. “I really like to grill, and there’s also a high BTU burner for crab and shrimp boils,” says one of the owners, noting the bounty of seafood right off their beach, including oysters and clams. “There’s a real hunter-gatherer ethos here,” says Eerkes. “This residence is deeply rooted in its place.”
