The Tide Turns for a Trio of Prefab Pod Houses in the San Juan Islands

The founder of the Living Building Challenge and his family join hands to restore a quirky off-grid outpost.
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Getting to the remote islands off Washington State’s northernmost coast is not always smooth sailing. Just ask architect Jason F. McLennan and his wife, artist Tracy McLennan, who in 2019 found themselves stranded on San Juan Island after their century-old wooden cruiser, the Vagabond, started smoking during a family trip. "We got stuck there and were just goofing around one night, looking at property online," recalls Tracy. "We saw this bizarre, interesting place for sale."

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Lauren Gallow
Dwell Contributor
Lauren Gallow is a Seattle-based design writer and editor. Formerly an in-house writer for Olson Kundig, she holds an MA in Art & Architectural History from UCSB.