The beauty of a shed, according to Aaron Trampush, lies in its potential. The Seattle-based architect and founder of Analog Architecture & Design has built a cantilevered backyard addition with transparent doors for himself and his wife, Bailey, that acts as storage, studio, and gathering spot.

“We needed a little workspace, and my wife loves to garden,” says Aaron. “But sheds are really fun because they can be anything.”

$775 Roofing & Gutter	$987 Lumber, Fasteners & Hardware	$43 Door Hardware
$48 Concrete	$56 Paint	$95 Polycarbonate
$202 Seattle Sales Tax
Grand Total: $2,206

The Uphill Utilitarian’s 120 square feet not only hold Bailey’s gardening tools and a workshop for Aaron; because the couple’s house provides only 1,110 square feet for a family of four, it increases their overall living space by 10 percent.

“It’s cozy, but it’s totally doable,” Aaron says. “A lot of people just want more space. You don’t need more space. You need better space that’s better organized. We didn’t need a whole DADU [detached additional dwelling unit] at 1,000 square feet. And it’s working out great. We’re there often, and the kids are always playing on it.”

The whole thing was built for $2,206, including a 10 percent city sales tax. To keep costs down as well as to maintain aesthetic clarity, Aaron relied on just a few key materials: two-by-fours, plywood, metal for the roof, and clear polycarbonate for the door.

“With the young family, the goal was to make it as inexpensive as possible, however artistically done,” he says. “But the craft was important.”

A general contractor’s son who grew up building in his small eastern Washington hometown of Chewelah and who has also taught furniture design, Aaron built the Uphill Utilitarian almost entirely by himself. “A friend came by and helped me stand some of the walls,” he says. “My wife helped on some of the sheet metal roof.”

Before embarking on the project, Aaron investigated the possibility of purchasing a prefabricated shed by a well-known national brand. But the cost would have been almost double what he spent, largely because the site would’ve needed to be flattened and a foundation built.

Instead, he decided to build his own post-and-beam foundation. This not only saved money, but allowed the shed to essentially float on its four legs. The front of the structure, with a small awning, appears to slightly cantilever over the hill while providing a sheltered outdoor space.

becomes this wood cocoon with ambient light coming through the clear wall panel. You don’t need to even turn on a light.”" layout="wide" credit="Photo by Aaron Trampush" photoUserId="6765383822525087744"/>

“It kind of sinks into the hillside, but it comes out dramatically in that cantilever,” says Aaron.

The studio, used sometimes as a work-from-home space or a den and workshop during the after hours, is clad inside with plywood, another basic material that’s become increasingly popular. “The pine they use for plywood is something we in the Northwest resonate with,” he says. “You read the grain, and it has this warmth.”

The shed sits beside a mature black walnut tree that casts dappled shadows over the structure. In the backyard, Aaron also constructed a tree house for the couple’s young son, and in warm weather the whole family hangs outside with Mom and Dad sitting on the two-by-four floor of the bed, which acts like a covered bench.

“It’s an honesty of assemblage and materials,” Aaron says. “You see exactly what it is and what it does. It’s very intentional. It’s an open book. But as an architect, that’s what you strive for: the honesty and materiality and how connections are made.”

More Budget Breakdown:

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Analog Architecture & Design

Builder: Analog Architecture & Design

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Budget Breakdown: A Seattle Architect Crafts a Hardworking Shed for Just Over $2,200