HIDE 'N SEEK SITE
Mercer Island

This is an exceptionally steep site, with a fall of more than 120 feet from the street to the lake. When initially asked what they hoped to accomplish with the landscape plan, the clients, parents of three young children, replied "a great place to play hide 'n seek". In order to accomplish this, and the creation of level outdoor living areas for adult relaxation and entertainment, a series of architectonic cliffs and terraces were created.

Water is used to provide direction, continuity, and ambience as one descends the site. An architectural spring box feeds a series of waterfalls and pools, ending in Lake Washington. A system of stairs, landings, bridges, and cantilevered platforms provides access to a sequence of surprising spatial experiences of varying scales and orientations.

All outdoor rooms include the sight or sound of water, and spaces are designed to connect with one another in accordance with the requirements of season, time of day, and the number of people involved. A party for two hundred, a sunset dinner for two, or a game of hide 'n seek - all can be accommodated in spaces of appropriate scale.