AGING IN PLACE
Architect son and builder dad collaborate on new Tacoma house designed for aging in place
Architect James Steel designed this new hilltop home for both of his parents — dad Bruce, mom Gloria — and, in the ultimate father-son bonding project, in true collaboration with his builder/developer dad.
“I took him a cocktail napkin and said: ‘That’s what I want to do,’ ” Bruce said.
“My dad has a strong vision of what he wants,” said James, principal of Steel Architects. “I was thinking what he would think.”
Bruce and Gloria’s previous home, in Gig Harbor, Washington, was becoming a challenge.
“They had to navigate steep stairs and a bridge over a creek just to get to the front door,” James says. “This [new] house was designed around the idea of aging in place. It’s 2,800 square feet, all on one level, minimizing barriers as they grow older.” Even better, it’s in Tacoma, where they wanted to be. “We wanted to get back here, closer to family,” Gloria says.
And now, the Steels live in a meticulously thought-out, true family home mere blocks from three of their children, including James. It’s also less than a mile from Bruce’s childhood home and half a mile from his office.
“We couldn’t resist the property,” Bruce says. “This location is so perfect.”
The home also features incredible views.
“The unique site is at the top of a steep bluff overlooking Old Town Tacoma and Commencement Bay,” James said. “On clear days, one can see from Mount Baker to Mount Rainier.”
The site’s original home, a 1940s two-storey relic with aluminum siding, wasn’t oriented to take advantage of the views. The garage had the best vantage point.
“We maximized the views by laying out the home such that rooms that were used every day are aligned on the view side: living, dining, kitchen and main bedroom suite,” James said. These make up the main wing. There’s also a second, back wing, with two more bedrooms, a guest bathroom, and mechanical and utility rooms.
Over the three-year process, the home’s design evolved from traditional to contemporary, Gloria said. Stone, glass, huge windows, and lots and lots of wood. James calls it “minimalist, but with a certain amount of nostalgia, Northwest contemporary with history, midcentury modernism with Northwest craftsmanship.”
Familial familiarity informed a few key design decisions. James knew, for example, that his mom practises the flute in the laundry room. “An odd habit,” he says, but a longtime one. So the secluded, southern-facing office/laundry area leaves room for a music stand, and a musical courtesy. “I can close two doors so [Bruce] can’t complain too much about the high notes,” she says.
Outside, James collaborated with Los Angeles landscape architect Ryan Gutierrez of GSLA Studio to design a spa with a retractable cover. “It’s the funniest thing; we use it all the time,” Bruce said. “I’d never had a hot tub. But James designed this, and it’s the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world.” Bruce is pleased, indeed — and very proud of his architect son. “He did a terrific job,” Bruce said. “This is the most complicated house I’ve ever built. James was here hours and hours every day. It was a lot of effort on everyone’s part. It was worth it. We love it here.”