This project was designed in collaboration with the Lopez Community Land Trust to provide affordable housing to temporary or transitioning Lopez residents working in the local food system. The prototypical residence is meant to accommodate seasonal farm workers and new farmers with more public utility spaces and a spacious area for cooking, gathering, and food processing. Our firm’s contribution to the project as a local partner was not only our relationships with the builders on the island, but also our relationships and current projects with multiple organizations on Lopez focusing on community resiliency, food security and affordable housing. By creating this prototypical home together, we open up the opportunity for replicating this efficient build on future sites to benefit more community members. 

The home includes a mudroom, spacious kitchen with ample pantry space, a living room, one bedroom, a flex space, a shower room and toilet, as well as a laundry space. Design decisions were focused on maximizing what the modest home can facilitate for the community. The mudroom, for example, includes a utility sink and laundry that is easily accessed from the outside, creating opportunities for people to camp on the property with direct and easy access to water and a washing machine. The layout of the home also creates opportunities for various forms of living – a couple, a small family, two friends – by creating more privacy and flexibility between spaces. The home was built using durable and low-maintenance finishes and sided with locally milled island fir siding. 

The home’s assembly simplified construction despite the sloped site, minimizes site impact and reduces its carbon footprint. Our goal was to maximize building efficiency while optimizing this home in line with Lopezian’s values and lifestyle by creating a flexible living space that is scalable and adaptable to the needs of the residents.

Structural Engineer: Isbell Engineering
Architect: Ets Architecture 
Location: Lopez Island, WA
Building Size: 980sf