seattle residential architects

What if your home could be an extension of who you are?

Our work focuses on creating simple, modern and timeless homes for our clients.

We design homes for people, not photographs. Whether it is an 800 sqft backyard cottage or a full sized home, Fivedot works with homeowners to provide elegantly proportioned spaces to serve as the stage for their lives.

We believe in an architecture that is simple and connected to place. When a house responds to the lifestyle of its occupants and the place where it sits, only then does it truly become a home. Our work focuses on blurring the boundaries between inside and outside and creating spaces that will grow and evolve with the people living within them.

 

Let’s talk about your project

Fivedot has been committed to sustainable building since its inception. Our core belief is that the most sustainable building strategy of all is quality. A well designed and well-built home that lasts is one that will save money, time and resources.

 

Residential Architecture Featured Projects

"A rare find among architectural firms.
After lots of searching, we are so happy that we found Fivedot and worked with them on our renovation. The Fivedot team has clear creative vision that they solidly pair with real-world building experience, and that strong combination made working with them on our project easy and fun. 

— Amy S., Seattle, WA —

Our Approach
1

Initial Meeting

The relationship between client and designer is critical to ensure a successful project. Our design process is a collaborative effort between us and you. The first meeting allows us to get a look at the site or space and to see whether we are a good fit for you and the project. We will discuss expectations, timelines, likes and dislikes. Ideally we will come out of this meeting with a good idea of what you want to do and what is important to you. Based on the initial meeting, we will prepare a proposal that describes the design scope and our anticipated process along with time and fee estimates for each stage of the design.

2

Predesign / Feasibility

Once the proposal has been accepted, we begin by gathering as much information as we can about the site, the program and your likes and dislikes. We study any images or information you have collected and identify any zoning/land-use and code requirements that may add constraints to the project. We will work with you to develop a program (a list of the required spaces and functions of the home) and a rough cost range. At the end of this phase we should have a good idea of what we can do, what you want to do, and how much it can cost.

3

Schematic Design

This is the fun part. Based on your input, we will explore a range of options to satisfy the design program. We will look at massing, circulation, siting, views, light, ventilation etc. This stage starts with diagrammatic studies and progresses towards a basic set of plans that will set the design direction for the project. There is usually quite a bit of back and forth during this process. The idea is to come out of schematic design with a good idea of form, layout, size and appearance.

4

Design Development /Permitting

During design development the design gets refined. Materials get chosen, windows are detailed, casework is designed. This is where the drawings become much more detailed and precise, showing sizes, materials and how item A interacts with item B. Somewhat independently, we will create a set of drawings that can be submitted to the city for permit. Depending on the type of project, these can be relatively simple or incredibly complex. Given the long review times typically seen at building departments these days, we try to submit for permit during design development and continue to work on the construction documents as the project is under review. For smaller projects, design development can be the end of the design process.

5

Construction Documents

The construction documents phase is concerned with creating a comprehensive set of drawings that describe how the design created in previous phases gets put together. For competitive bid projects, a full and complete construction documents set is critical.

6

Construction Observation / Administration

We work closely with the contractor throughout the building process. Ideally the contractor is selected early in the design process but regardless, we work with the contractor during the construction process to answer questions and make revisions as necessary.

Let's talk about your project.

 
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