Perched just above the edge of the Narrows, the house is an ideal place to live surrounded by the wild beauty of Ketchikan.

“A building can have far greater impact than the space it stands in.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

New zoning allowed for a zero-lot-line structure, but required a public storefront, which Carpenter uses as an art gallery.

Lightroom 1.0, a photography studio, is a freestanding structure on the property. “Together, they represent an autobiography of my career,” Carpenter says.

The extensive use of natural wood on nearly every surface makes the inside of The Barn feel like an extension of the landscape outside.

Sleeping nooks that look like the grooves in a block of cheese.

A passage between the walls for hide and seek.

The two tiny homes were designed by CAST Architecture.

The architects pulled away the roof at the house’s center to create a courtyard where the residents can enjoy meals. The ground sits below floor level, which means that the wraparound eucalyptus deck can also serve as a bench.

This living/bedroom space showcases neutral tones and shades of white to contrast the continued use of natural, treated wood surfaces.

Paul Brown's plotter drawing "BIGDIM / 0 10 10 0 0 0 / 200,120 / 11,969" is an intricate progression and deconstruction of geometric shapes. 1979, from Digital Pioneers.

The original home’s second floor had three bedrooms with flat ceilings. Arch11 quickly realized there was a great volume in the upper floors at the gable ends of the home and chose to integrate the attic space into the second floor. This design move allowed the interior to be informed in part by the exterior while creating a bright, serene living space among the treetops.

Thanks to the extension’s vaulted ceiling, the master bedroom and minimalist staircase have views of the sky. Polly admits to having sacrificed floor area so that the full-height stairwell could achieve a stronger connection with the outdoors. Toyo Ito Mayhuma pendants hang from the ceiling, accentuating the space’s dramatic height.

Situated behind the kitchen, the lower level bathroom is equally suited to cleaning up before a meal or taking a leisurely bath. Crisp white fixtures, including a Kaldewei Centro Duo bath, ensure that the bathroom feels as light and airy as the rest of the house.

In one of the three bedrooms, Wright designed a built-in desk and graphic chair. The angular windows and skylights are continued into the bedrooms.