Multi-family

Block Architects used materials that highlight the flora of the Pacific Northwest. The slatted ceilings of the main-level community spaces, for example, are made of Pacific Albus.

Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows in the reception area bring in southern light.

With close proximity to the beach, the unit provides a cozy, simple, and peaceful retreat."

Unit #6 is located in the award-winning Condominium One, the first building designed as part of the Sea Ranch development. Today, it is widely known as one of the most significant landmarks of post-war American Architecture.

“When new buildings attempt to mimic original buildings, the result lessens the integrity of both new and old,” says Minarik. “The new should honor the new uses, without challenging the old for attention.”

The goal of the Polk Bungalows was to make it feel “like a community within a community,” says architect Aaron Bass.

Each modern bungalow enjoys private outdoor space in the form of a ground level patio — a nod to the signature bungalow porch.

A 12-foot wide span containing a pocket door completely eliminates the outdoor-indoor barrier on the living level. Operable windows — including the casement in the background — were designed with sizable proportions and full height conditions. “We tried to make the majority of the windows at the scale of a person, almost to where it felt like a door,” says Bass.

In addition to the common architectural threads, the modern bungalows relate to the historic structure through color — borrowing the punchy pink for an accent at the entry.

How to Build an Affordable America: There are as many solutions to the country’s housing crisis as there are causes. We need them all.