Longbranch House / Mwworks

Architects: mwworks
Area: 3,900 ft² (Home: 3,100 ft², Garage: 800 ft²)
Year: 2023
Photographs: Andrew Pogue
Manufacturers: Blu Bathworks, Duravit, Fisher & Paykel, Miele, Arhaus, Astro Lighting, BK, Baldwin, Best, Blu Dot, Brizo, Cambria, Charles Wilson, Gloster, Graypants, Halo Lighting, Juno Lighting, LG, Lynx, Sage Interiors
Structural Engineer: PCS Structural Solutions
Civil Engineer: SCJ Alliance
Landscaping: Black Lotus Landscaping
Geotechnical Engineer: Georesources LLC
Project Team: Eric Walter, Christian Kittelson, Bradley Kinsey
Plastering: Cathy Connor – Studio C
Arborist: Steve Wortinger
General Contractor: Sparrow Woodworks
Plaster: Studio C
Survey: Aspen Land Surveying LLC
City: Key Center
Country: United States

Longbranch House, designed by mwworks in Key Peninsula, Washington, is a 3,900 ft² residence completed in 2023, integrating seamlessly with its natural surroundings on a 7.8-acre site. The house includes 3,100 sq ft of living space and an 800 sq ft garage, merging forest and meadow to allow the structure to blend into the landscape. A planted roof and timber framing, using materials like cedar and Douglas Fir, create a timeless connection between the home and its environment. The site, previously altered with retaining walls and a suburban home, was transformed to reflect the clients’ vision for a home that respects the landscape. Longbranch House was designed for a family with deep ties to the area, including their foster dogs, horses, and visiting guests, enhancing the balance between nature and built form.

Designed by mwworks, the home is intended to blend into the environment, appearing almost invisible within the landscape. A gravel driveway meanders past a modest barn, with only a partial glimpse of the house visible as the land drops away. Upon nearing the house, the planted roof is revealed as a seamless extension of the ground, quickly becoming a habitat for wildlife such as frogs and birds. Rather than dominating the site, the house engages quietly with the landscape, allowing nature to remain the central feature.

Towering fir trees frame the entry, and the foundation is designed with pin piles and grade beams to avoid disrupting the tree roots, ensuring that the house and forest coexist. A bridge leads into the house, traversing an ambiguous space where nature and architecture converge. This transitional point underscores the continuous connection between the built structure and the natural surroundings.

Inside, expansive views of Case Inlet unfold through large windows, and each room is oriented to connect uniquely with the surrounding landscape—ranging from intimate glimpses of the forest to broad views of the water. The house successfully reintegrates the meadow and forest into the design, creating a peaceful atmosphere that is enhanced by the use of natural materials. The combination of stained cedar, Douglas Fir, and exposed concrete, paired with meticulous craftsmanship, gives the house a timeless and grounded quality.

Architecturally, the design draws on the site’s natural elements, with clearings, columns, and voids echoing the shapes and rhythms of the landscape. The structural masses were cast using a loose concrete mix, which contrasts with the rugged aggregate textures surrounding them. The private areas are clad in dark-stained cedar, while the main pavilion, which contains the living spaces, features a Douglas Fir timber frame. In this pavilion, glass panels are delicately set apart from the heavy timber frame, lightly enclosing the space while highlighting the structure’s fine details.

By reintegrating the surrounding forest and meadow, the Longbranch House strikes a delicate balance between architecture and nature, creating a home deeply rooted in its environment. The design, craftsmanship, and materials connect the built form and the natural world, making the house a timeless retreat.