Portage Bay House is a true, bonafide “lake house” designed by Heliotrope Architects inspired by Seattle’s maritime heritage.

Not to be mistaken for a similar looking but utterly fictional Lake House from that Keanu Reeves – Sandra Bullock chick flick The Lake House, Portage Bay House is a true, bonafide “lake house” designed by Heliotrope Architects inspired by Seattle’s maritime heritage. Overlooking Seattle’s Portage Bay, a body of water, many consider to be part of the eastern arm of Lake Union, itself a part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Washington; Heliotrope Architect’s Portage Bay House is an absolutely zen affair without looking too out of place amongst the many industrial marine sheds in the vicinity.

Heliotrope Architects presents Portage Bay House, inspired by Seattle maritime heritage

Heliotrope Architects took every effort to make the minimalist house outstanding yet fitting with the other houses with industrial boat sheds on Portage Bay, Seattle.

Heliotrope Architect’s Portage Bay House is an absolutely zen affair, so much so that it definitely doesn’t look like much from the main road, but when viewed from the Portage Bay, the house is absolutely amazing

Indeed, Heliotrope Architect’s Portage Bay House Seattle has been designed so inconspicuously that the view from the road leading up to the property is absolutely nondescript and downright opaque. Truly, thanks to its expansive floor to ceiling windows across the entirety of both floors and the shed by the dock, the real beauty of the house can only be admired from within or from the waters of the bay. The literal lake house hosts a variety of cedar and walnut fixtures adding a contrast of warmth to the colder flagstone, marble and steel accents. Thus, while you recline in the warm earth tones of the living area or in the master’s bedroom upstairs, one can properly enjoy the transparent facade with splendid cool blue-hued views of Portage Bay and the Cascade Mountains beyond.

Tucked into the eastern arm of Lake Union, Portage Bay House was conceptualised as the ultimate bachelor’s studio loft with yacht docking or boatplane mooring facilities. A central yet extremely private location within the city, hidden from prying street eyes and perfect for clandestine romantic encounters. The shell of the building is essentially a more refined and better finished version of zinc and aluminium, inspired by the area’s heritage maritime sheds of similar material construct. More importantly, the cladding hides the activity of those within the Portage Bay House, leaving only the water-side of the house transparent.

Once you’re inside, Portage Bay House opens up to the views of Portage Bay and Cascade Mountains while its position on the hillside allows it to overlook the University of Washington. The living, dining, cooking, laundry and sleeping areas are neatly separated across two floors and shaped to clearly demarcate the transition to various areas of the house.

The bath area is everything you would want in a such a gorgeous setting – a luxury home spa to be enjoyed with facilities like a master bath with a Japanese style hinoki tub overlooking the lake. Portage Bay House Seattle is the ultimate bachelor’s pad.