Sustainable Living in Yakima
Rocky Knoll Passive Solar
A home responding to the region’s natural beauty while doing minimal damage to the land it sits.
Situated on a vast, open plot in Yakima, Washington, these homeowners set out to build a sustainable house that would hopefully inspire other members of the community to consider how their own homes impact the environment. With our help in planning and execution, we created a deeply sustainable structure that sets a precedent in Yakima, where sustainable residential architecture is still just gaining a foothold.
Energy efficiency was a major focus of this project. Beyond passive solar design partnered with super-insulated walls, a geothermal field provides all the home’s heating and cooling needs. Since the landscape lacks trees, the home receives constant, direct sunlight. However, rather than planting non-native trees or other forms of vegetation, we chose to stay true to the existing landscape as a tribute to its unique beauty, while also consciously protecting indigenous species.
To help deflect the heat of the sun and prevent the house from becoming too hot in the warmer months, each window was is strategically shaded. This means the home can still enjoy ample natural light without the temperature rising beyond comfortable levels.
A Sight to Behold
Finished with sturdy, long-lasting materials, including stone and metal accents, this home is an anchor in the landscape, built to last. Rocky Knoll Passive Solar | Photo by project team.
A Sight to Behold
Finished with sturdy, long-lasting materials, including stone and metal accents, this home is an anchor in the landscape, built to last. Rocky Knoll Passive Solar | Photo by project team.
Rocky Knoll Passive Solar
Rocky Knoll Passive Solar | Photo by project team.
Additionally, the lower and main-level walls are composed of 12” thick Faswell insulated blocks, which help to regulate the interior temperature year-round. Each entry point is sealed with Airlock entry, so drafts are a non-factor.
To bring this home to life, we used local, natural, and healthy materials that are both sustainable and beautiful, allowing the home to integrate flawlessly with its surroundings. The lower foundation and chimney are built clad in stone — a timeless material creating a textural contrast with the upper portions of the home, and complementing the metal roof and window shades.
The exterior offers abundant outdoor seating and lounging areas on and below the porch, as well as on the upper-level balcony. Large glass doors create optimal indoor-outdoor connections, helping the home feel as wide open as the land it sits on.
Inside, natural wood and stone finishes support a relaxing, homey feeling – right on par for a sustainable, rural home. The towering stone fireplace creates an aesthetic link between the outside and inside, while also providing the homeowners with electricity-free warmth when needed. Light neutrals combined with cherry-red accents are a tribute to the desert-like terrain of Yakima surrounding the home.
Notes & Credits
Photography by project team.
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Services
Our design services encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with teams specializing in projects across the spectrum, from single-family homes to multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and from boutique commercial spaces to civic spaces, like parks. We love designing the integrated fabric of structures, spaces, and places that create vibrant neighborhoods.
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