22 minute read
LOW PROFILE
Elegant Bear Creek home unobtrusively captures Pearrygin panorama
BY MARCY STAMPER
There’s no denying that the views are exceptional — the full length of Pearrygin Lake and a vast sweep of the North Cascades. But the owners and architect of the striking home nestled in the hills of upper Bear Creek wanted to preserve views for everyone, including folks who are camping and swimming at Pearrygin Lake State Park. “It was very important to the clients — even before we put pen to paper — to respect the scenic area above Pearrygin Lake,” architect Tim Hammer, a principal with CAST Architecture, said. “We wanted to blend into the hillside. We wanted to experience the place and soak in the beauty, but didn’t want to take away from others’ experience.”
Once the homeowners (who asked not to be identified) had carefully chosen the site, the design of what they’ve come to call Bear Creek Basecamp grew out of the same values. Hammer drafted three designs and the
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAST ARCHITECTURE
family picked one and refined it. “I felt like he was a genius at what he does and he was easy to work with,” the homeowner said.
“It’s really a house that blurs the line between indoors and out,” Hammer said. The goal was to create a single ceiling plane from the interior to the exterior to connect all the spaces. All the modules line up, unifying the structure.
“We asked the architect to
take advantage of the view, but didn’t specify how many windows,” the homeowner said. Indeed, the house is more windows than walls, with multiple views through the structure to the outdoors and to other wings of the house.
PRACTICAL, AND ATTRACTIVE
Design choices accommodated practical needs and aesthetics.
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The roof and outdoor spaces accommodate the seasons. The gently sloping shed roof holds snow for insulation and keeps ice and snow from landing on walkways.
Generous overhangs block the summer sun but let the low winter sun heat the slab floor to soak up warmth. In the summer, the owners can open windows and doors at night to circulate cool air.
Walls and windows have extra insulation. “Even though there’s a lot of glass, it’s a fairly efficient energy envelope,” Hammer said. Exterior materials are rusted steel and concrete for low maintenance.
In the great room, a vast open space with living room, dining room and kitchen, the owners thought hard about the layout to suit the family’s love of cooking — and of preparing food while visiting with guests.
As a result, the kitchen is the core of the great room. While it’s unusual to have the kitchen in the center of the space, it’s where the family spends all their time, Hammer said. “It’s a hub, figuratively and atmospherically,” he said.
The dining room is on the west side, overlooking the lake. That accomplishes two goals — as a floating plane, the dining-room table doesn’t block the view the way a sofa and ottoman would. But it also reserves the best views for guests. “The kitchen island is all about entertaining, but the dining room is really all about the lake,” Hammer said. The configuration makes ordinary chores a pleasure. When you’re doing dishes at the kitchen sink, you can gaze out toward the mountains. “Standing at the sink, looking at the view — that’s what we hoped for,” the homeowner said. Hammer used the same vocabulary and materials throughout the house. The color palette of muted taupe and white blends seamlessly with the warmth of verticalgrain fir cabinets handcrafted by Phil Woras. Counters are a manufactured, pale white-gray stone that resembles marble.
“Tim was really adamant about repeating elements, using the same color palette, and keeping it simple,” the homeowner said. “It’s my belief that you get a certain amount of harmony and comfort if you play materials against each other,” Hammer said.
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six as well as sofas with ample cushions in the TV room that can be converted to even more beds. Walls in the bunk room are indestructible steel.
GOING OUTDOORS
The house has two outdoor spaces — a protected courtyard shielded from wind and summer sun and a wraparound veranda that takes in the views. The great room has six doors to the outdoors.
Outdoor spaces were conceived as part of the overall plan. Approaching through the veranda establishes a psychological experience of entering the home, Hammer said. “It’s a continuous experience from the great room to the patio to the guest wing,” he said.
In the winter, the homeowners roast marshmallows on a fire pit designed by Tim Odell of Hotspot Fire Pits in the courtyard. In the summer, they stash the fire pit in the garage and pull out a table and chairs where they can relax in the shade.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAST ARCHITECTURE
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Even the hot tub is nestled into the slope to preserve the view. People who aren’t overly modest can take advantage of an outdoor shower that’s open to the landscape. “We deliberately didn’t screen the shower,” the homeowner said.
The family lives in Vancouver, B.C., but the husband first came to the Methow Valley in the 1990s on a mountain-biking trip. When he and his wife met in 2001, he was eager to introduce her to the valley, and it became an annual winter pilgrimage.
Now that they have three kids, ages 7, 10 and 12, they treasure the opportunity to explore as a family or in more intimate outings with one parent and one or two kids. They’re all busy — the wife is a law professor working on her doctorate — so they relish their time on Bear Creek to relax and experience nature.
With his own institutional investment company, the husband can work from Bear Creek as easily as from the city. The owners joked with Hammer about making sure that even the office had a view. “This is the best office I could imagine,” said the homeowner, who starts work early. “I got up at 4 a.m. on the summer solstice.”
It’s an active family, with kids involved in every sport there is — hiking, mountain biking, golf, horseback riding, skiing and fly fishing. A small garage is given over to gear, crammed with skis, ice skates, fishing poles and bikes.
The homeowners appreciated the expertise of local contractors, including Lost River Construction as the builders and B&B Excavating for careful grading that preserved the contours of the property.
“I could just look at those mountains all day. Some people look at the lake, some at the mountains,” the homeowner said. “The light is incredible. The views are marvelous. It’s totally quiet.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAST ARCHITECTURE
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Build a home that fights fire
Firewise practices reduce your risks
BY KIRSTEN COOK COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR OKANOGAN CONSERVATION DISTRICT
The Alaska Division of Forestry poses a great question to residents at risk from wildfire: how fast can your house run? Well, unless your architect is Baba Yaga (whose house
is on chicken legs), you are probably out of luck. If your house can’t run, then what you need it to do is fight.
Research shows that most homes destroyed in wildfires are ignited by embers, in some case from fires as far as a mile or two away. Direct flame contact and radiant heat can also lead to home ignitions. A home that fights fire minimizes the risks to a home from all three of these potential ignition sources.
New construction is the most affordable place to implement wildfire resistance. To build a home that fights fire, focus on four things: design, materials, landscaping and maintenance.
DESIGN
Take a critical look at the building site: what kind of fire behavior can you expect at your location? Slope and wind direction are your primary concerns. The steeper the slope, the more intense the fire behavior, especially when driven by wind.
If you can’t avoid building on a hillside, plan excavation so that the home is set back at least 30 feet from the edge of the slope. For the structure itself, keep Henry David Thoreau in mind: “simplify, simplify, simplify.” Complicated roof lines, lots of corners, and open eaves all add risk because they create more places where embers can collect and cause problems. Attachments like decks, balconies and fences should also be designed to reduce risk, not increase it. For example, do not build decks or other attachments that overhang slopes because fire moves quickly uphill.
MATERIALS
The best way to build a home that fights fire is to build with materials that don’t catch fire! Metal roofs, non-flammable siding, and ember resistant vents (or no vents at all) give you the biggest bang for the buck.
And speaking of bucks, Headwaters Economics (an independent, non-partisan research organization) published a report in 2018 confirming that ignition-resistant construction costs the same or less than traditional construction when building a new home. Material options have expanded dramatically in the past few years: a quick internet search turned up 15 different choices of fiber cement siding styles. As wildfire damage claims increase and insurance companies react, a wildfire-resistant home may be the key to keeping home insurance affordable (or keeping it at all).
LANDSCAPING
Plan the landscaping to complement your fire-resistant home, not work against it. Start by keeping the space from the foundation to 5 feet out free of plants and any other flammable materials, especially wood chip mulch. Concrete slab, pavers, gravel and stone are all good choices for a fire-free perimeter. Use heavy-duty weed fabric to minimize maintenance if you choose gravel/stone.
Beyond the 5-foot zone, keep plants well-spaced (so if one ignites it doesn’t spread fire to
No fuel = no fire. This home’s gravel perimeter and nonflammable siding provide no opportunity for embers to take hold and grow into a structure fire. PHOTO COURTESY OF OKANOGAN CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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This wood-sided home is at very high risk from embers, direct flame contact and radiant heat ignition pathways. Note the 6-inch concrete sill at the base of the wall; if the juniper were removed and a 5-foot wide apron of gravel or other nonflammable surface was added, this would create a fuel-free space at the base of the wall where embers tend to collect. PHOTO COURTESY OF OKANOGAN CONSERVATION DISTRICT
others) and choose species that are fire-resistant. Most of the deciduous native plants in our area are considered fire-resistant, so your landscape can be both fire-ready and wildlife-friendly. Keep branches of large conifers like ponderosa pine and Douglas fir pruned 10 to 14 feet above the ground and create 10- to 20- foot gaps between tree canopies. Large trees close to the home can increase risk, so think carefully about where and how many trees you keep on the building site, especially if those trees are going to shed needles and cones on your home and yard constantly.
MAINTENANCE
An additional benefit of fire-resistant construction and landscaping is that it tends to reduce maintenance needs. If your home and landscape are easier to maintain, it will take you less time and energy to keep the ignition potential low during fire season.
WHERE TO GET HELP
Building a home is complicated, but there are many resources to help you build a home that fights fire. Okanogan Conservation District offers free on-site consultations for new home construction and existing homes. We also developed the “Wildfire Resistant Buildings” fact sheet, available at www.okanogancounty.org/Building. On Tuesday, May 19, the Okanogan Conservation District and Wenatchee Valley College will host the “Fire Ready Home and Landscape” class at the Methow Valley Community Center gym in Twisp from 6-8 p.m. The focus will be on practical solutions for home-hardening and defensible space.
ALREADY HAVE A HOME? Retrofitting an existing home to fight fire tends to be a little more challenging and sometimes more expensive, but there are a number of simple things that can reduce your risk. Since every home is unique, we recommend a free wildfire risk consultation from Okanogan Conservation District, or your local fire district.
AND A NOTE
Fire-resistant homes can sometimes be overwhelmed by extreme conditions. However, a well-prepared home is much less likely to lose the fight. The majority of homes that survived the Camp fire in Paradise met the fire-resistant construction standards required by code in California.
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How to be a good Methow Valley neighbor
First year Good Neighbor Project participant Mary (left) talks to Methow Conservancy Conservation Biologist Julie Grialou (right) about some of Mary’s goals for her Balky Hill property on a Good Neighbor Project site visit. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOW CONSERVANCY
Conservancy program helps landowners be stewards
BY DANIEL SENNER THE METHOW CONSERVANCY
If you are the owner of a small
acreage parcel of land here in the Methow Valley you are probably looking forward to spring when the Arrowleaf Balsamroot bring color back to the valley floor and the migratory birds return to sing to you on your back porch as you warm in the afternoon sun.
With all the good that spring brings, it also brings a laundry list of stewardship to-do’s for your property. While it can sometimes seem daunting getting started on these projects, once initiated these tasks can bring many rewards, including enhancing the natural aesthetics of your land and giving you a greater ecological understanding of your property. It also makes a difference to the collective ecological health of the Methow Valley by increasing wildlife habitat connectivity and reducing the susceptibility to high intensity wildfires.
Recognizing the value of engaging small-acreage property owners, we here at the Methow Conservancy started a new program to help these landowners to understand and prioritize their stewardship needs and
connect them with the resources to be successful on their property. The project launched in spring of 2019 and is called the Good Neighbor Project. In its first year, the Good Neighbor Project worked with 24 small-acreage landowners scattered throughout the Methow Valley to offer a free property site visit with one of our staff members. Site visits began in April and were completed by early June.
During each visit, we talk about the Methow Conservancy’s goals for the Good Neighbor Project, learn about the landowners’ goals for their land, and then tour around the property with the landowners and provide them with suggestions for stewardship actions to improve habitat.
SOME SUGGESTIONS
We leave the landowners with a summary of the site visit and recommended stewardship actions, as well as relevant contacts and follow-up information. Here are a few examples of the suggestions we provided landowners: • Do you have birdfeeders? If you see sign of bears in your neighborhood, remove the feeders until bears have left the area. • Start your property search for invasive weeds. For help with weed identification and removal visit our online weed guide: https://methowconservancy.org/ weed-guide.
• If you have or plan to plant fruit trees be sure to familiarize yourself with best practices for backyard fruit ownership: http://treefruit.wsu.edu/ backyard-fruit-trees.
• To schedule a free formal Firewise assessment, email Kirsten Cook at the Okanogan Conservation District at kirsten@okanogancd.org,
• Seed disturbed areas with bluebunch wheatgrass, sand dropseed, and/or lupine. All are available for sale at Methow Natives: http://methownative.com. In our first year of the project, we learned a lot about the needs of small landowners and saw the signs of success. One of our participants, for example, had been thinking about building their new house right on top of a hill in a place that definitely would have impacted ridgeline views. During our site visit we talked about what makes a good homesite zone and all the factors to consider, and they are now considering other spots on their property for their home.
We will be rolling out the second year of the Good Neighbor Project in March 2020. It’s been exciting and gratifying to launch a new and innovative opportunity to help small landowners connect to and care for their land more deeply. If you are interested in becoming a 2020 Good Neighbor you can contact daniel@methowconservancy.org for more details.
Daniel Senner is the community conservation coordinator for the Methow Conservancy.
About the Conservancy
For 24 years, the Methow Conservancy has existed to inspire people to care for the land and water of the Methow Valley, working with over 120 landowners to create permanent conservation outcomes for their lands.
To learn more about their work, explore conservation opportunities for your land, discover upcoming natural history education programs, or learn about opportunities to purchase a conserved property in the Methow Valley, visit www. methowconservancy.org, call (509) 996-2870 or drop in at 315 Riverside Ave., Winthrop.
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Going dark
The Dark Sky Coalition aims to reduce light pollution in the valley
BY JOANNA BASTIAN
One of Washington state’s best places to star gaze is right here in the Methow Valley. Our pristine night sky is a visual marvel and important for the health of our residents and wildlife. Light pollution by poor outdoor lighting practices reduces visibility in all directions, harms health and wildlife, and is a waste of economic resources. Satellite images show 99% of people around the world suffer from light pollution, unable to experience a natural night sky. Here in the Pacific Northwest, residents are among the remaining few who can still view the brilliance of the Milky Way on a clear moonless night.
The Methow Dark Sky Coalition is on a mission to “Protect our night sky with environmentally responsible lighting.” The registered 501(C)(3) organization is based in Winthrop, with President Kyrie Jardin, Vice President Howard Johnson, and Secretary-Treasurer Kathy Podmayer. Explaining why the group came together, Johnson said, “The Methow Valley has a rich dark sky, we want to keep it unique and wonderful.” The group follows the recommendations of the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), to educate the community on how artificial light affects our health and wildlife, and how to reduce light pollution through smart lighting practices. The group measures the number of stars visible to the naked eye in different areas of the Methow Valley. With population growth and more outdoor lights, the light pollution measurement trends upward. Left unchecked, in a few years residents of Winthrop will no longer be able to see the Milky Way. The good news is that home and business owners can reverse light pollution affects by making a few small and affordable changes. SOME GUIDELINES
Outdoor lighting is necessary for a variety of reasons. While using outdoor lights, there are ways
Looking west from Balky Hill, Twisp lights up the night sky beneath the Milky Way. PHOTO BY DON RUDOLPH
to minimize the harmful effects of light pollution. The Methow Dark Sky Coalition recommends following these guidelines from the IDA for outdoor lighting: • Only be on when needed. • Only light the area that needs it. • Be no brighter than necessary.
• Minimize blue light emissions. • Be fully shielded. Use timers or motion detectors to control how often and what times a light illuminates an area. To light only the area that needs it, avoid floodlights from a great height and instead install smaller lights closer to the ground in areas that need illumination along walkways, doorways and driveways. Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop uses this practice with beautiful and effective results.
Bright lights increase night blindness outside the zone of illumination by reducing a person’s ability to see past the lighted area. In addition, bright lights cause “light trespass” by shining in neighboring windows and interrupting other’s view of the night sky. Instead of using the brightest bulb, opt for the lowest wattage necessary.
Blue light brightens the night sky more than any other color of light. All bulb packaging provides color temperature information. Look for lights with a warm color temperature of 3,000K or lower. If a bulb is visible, it creates night blindness and light trespass. Always fully shield outdoor lights to direct light downward.
COUNTY CODE
Okanogan County zoning code states outdoor lighting, “shall be directed downward and shielded to minimize potential glare to motorists and off-site residents. No exterior light with a direct source visible from a neighboring property shall be installed. Indirect sources and horizontal cut-off fixtures are recommended to reduce glare and provide general ambient light.”
Using smart lighting practices can improve everyone’s health. A recent study by WSU Spokane Sleep and Performance Center found nighttime exposure to LED and other bluespectrum lighting suppresses the hormone melatonin and leads to increase risks for diabetes, cancer and a multitude of other chronic conditions. The AMA recommends shielding all outdoor light fixtures and only using warm lights with 3,000K temperature or less.
Artificial light at night, especially blue lights, harm wildlife. Bright lights at night disrupt bird migration patterns, and disturb the feeding and mating cycles of insects, bats, fish and salamanders. Bright lights interrupt the predator/prey relationship, creating an imbalance in the ecosystem. Owls will go elsewhere if an area is overly lit at night. “If we want to see animal life during the day, we need to control light pollution at night,” Jardin said.
Smart lighting at night reduces energy consumption. Light at night is expensive, and drains economic resources. Satellite images of Earth show light emissions into outer space where it isn’t being used, but instead wasted to the tune of $3 billion per year in the United States. By using timers, motion sensors, lower wattage and shields, smart homeowners can reduce their energy consumption while also reducing light pollution.
Ace Hardware in Winthrop carries Dark Sky certified outdoor light fixtures and can special order items for home and business owners.
Be a good neighbor and a smart homeowner by looking for ways to protect our dark skies, while reducing energy consumption and light pollution.
Resources
To find out more about the Methow Dark Sky Coalition, and how to adopt dark sky practices, visit www. methowdarksky.org
Fixtures such as these direct light downward, illuminating the ground and surrounding area without creating glare or spilling light. IMAGES COURTESY INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY ASSOCIATION
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