American architectural practice Coates Design has completed the Ellis Residence in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Ed, house owner, describes the first morning in their home,

When I saw the sunrise with the skyline of Seattle as a backdrop the whole process was all worth it.

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

Perched high upon Yeomalt Bluff, the Ellis Residence enjoys a commanding 180-degree view of Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline. Owners Ed and Joanne Ellis had a special goal in mind when they decided to build a sustainable home in the beautiful surroundings of Bainbridge Island, WA. Their goal was two-fold: they wanted to prove that sustainability can be achieved without compromising a modern aesthetic design and they wanted to motivate others to follow suit.

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

The Ellis's are proud to say that their home is designed to be the first LEED© Platinum outside the city of Seattle. The design limits its impact on the environment with a multitude of sustainable practices. Through implementation of geothermal, photovoltaic, solar hot water, and advanced heat-recovery technologies this home has succeeded in reducing the energy consumption by more than 70% compared to a typical home construction. The home also makes use of rain water cisterns for irrigation of native landscaping and a vegetated roof. The project's ecologically small footprint was not just constrained to the construction of the new house. Rather than demolishing the existing structure on the site, the team deconstructed, it effectively diverting 98% of its material from the landfill.

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

The home features intimate multi-use spaces that frame exceptional views of Seattle across Puget Sound. The view is best seen from the dining/living room's large expanse of glass windows and doors that open out to a concrete patio.

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

Another great location to capture the vistas beyond is the sunken concrete tub in the master bath and on the accessible vegetated roof. The anticipation of Ed and Joanne's unique goal encompassed a 3 year process. This is a small price to pay when your home is a model of sustainability.

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

Ellis Residence, image courtesy Coates Design

+ Project credits / data

Project: Ellis Residence
Completed: 2010 – 2,560 sf
Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
Architect / Designer: Matthew Coates – Coates Design | http://www.coatesdesign.com
General Contractor: Rob Smallwood – Smallwood Design and Construction
Landscape Architect: Jack Johnson – Outdoor Studio
Structural Engineer: Jack Wiggins – Quantum Consulting Engineers
Mechanical Engineer: Israel Gaphni – Sound Mechanical
Interior Designer: Melissa Anderson – All in the Details
Photographer(s): Roger Turk – Northernlight Photography,  Art Grice & Coates Design

+ Products

Bathroom fittings (faucets, etc.)
Delta Lahara single control WaterSense faucet, Toto Helix sensor faucet, & Grohe Ladylux Cafe & Essence.

Bathroom fixtures (sinks, etc.)
Kohler Caxton undermount sink,  St. Thomas undermount sink, & owner supplied glass sink. Caroma sydney smart 270 easy height round front toilet.

Bathroom cabinets
Fir – Custom designs by Mountain View Cabinets

Cooktop (if different from oven or range)
Miele – Ceramic Cook top with Induction

Countertops
Caeserstone Countertops and Fuez

Dishwasher
Miele – Energy Star

Doors
Frank Lumber and Hardware “The Door Store”

Exterior siding
1×4 FSC Ironwoods Ipe and MTL panels, ablitt sheet MTL.

Flooring—ceramic tile, stone, or concrete
Exposed Concrete – Kurpgeweit Brothers

Flooring—wood
Vida cork planks, Ecohaus

Heating and Cooling HVAC equipment
Geothermal and hydroponic radiant, Sullivan

Kitchen fittings (faucets, etc.)
Bamboo – Custom designs by Mountain View Cabinets

Kitchen fixtures (sinks, etc.)
Kohler single compartment self-rimming – stainless steel sink.

Lighting fixtures
Halo, Juno, Bocci, Bega, Access Lighting

Oven or range (if different from cooktop)
Miele oven H 4881 BP

Paints/stains/wall finishes
Ground Face CMU, Sherwin – Williams No VOC Paints, Low VOC Stains

Refrigerator
Concealed Miele 1801

Roofing
Cooley PVC Roof by Hanley Roofing

Skylights/roof windows
Crystalite

Solar energy system
Sun Wind Concepts – renewable energy concepts

Windows
Loewen Triple – Glazed

Green Products
Goethermal
Solar
Hydroponic Radiant Heating
Thermal Massing CMU Walls
No VOC Paints
Low VOC Stains
90% FSC wood use to LEED Platinum Standards
Belco Forest Products
Edensaw Woods. LTD.
Disdero Lumber Co.
Specialty Forest Products, Inc.
Miele – Energy Star Dishwasher
Low Flow toilets and fixtures meet
LEED Platinum Standards

+ All images and drawings courtesy Coates Design

The world-renowned architect Foster + Partners have completed their project in Africa with BMCE branches in Morocco.

The BMCE flagship branches – our first completed buildings in Africa – reinterpret elements of traditional Moroccan architecture, combining these with a contemporary interior that reflects the Bank’s progressive approach to its customers. This blend of ancient principles and modern technology is also reflected in an energy efficient design. The result is a series of buildings that are sustainable and each one, uniquely, of its place.

Lord Foster

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

The first regional headquarters branches for Moroccan bank, BMCE (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur) have opened in Rabat and Casablanca, with a further branch in Fez due to complete shortly – they are the first buildings by Foster + Partners to be completed in Africa. The banks' contemporary interior is wrapped by a traditional, energy efficient envelope and their design is based on a modular system, which utilises local materials and craftsmanship to create a striking new emblem for BMCE.

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

The design follows a 'kit-of-parts' approach, with variations in colour and scale according to the bank's location. Each building comprises a concrete frame, with an entrance colonnade and a series of bays repeated on a modular grid. The bays are enclosed by glazed panels and 200mm-deep screens, which provide shade and security. The screens are cut from sheets of stainless steel – a special low-iron mixture that does not heat up in the sun – which are curved to create a geometric design, based on traditional Islamic patterns.

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

The branches are designed to be highly energy efficient and use locally-sourced materials, such as black granite and grey limestone. All BMCE flagship branches feature an 'earth tube', an electricityfree cooling system: fresh air is drawn into an empty pipe that encircles the building underground, where it is naturally cooled by the earth and released into the branch.

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

BMCE Bank, image courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young

The dome, a recurrent element in each bank, is a reference to the design of a number of new schools in Morocco, which have received philanthropic support from BMCE Bank Foundation. The interior of the dome is rendered in tadelakt, a local plaster technique, while the exterior is clad in zellige, traditional ceramic tiles. The dome form sweeps down into the banking hall to create a sculptural curved bench.

BMCE Bank - Site plan, drawing courtesy Foster + Partners

BMCE Bank - SE elevation, drawing courtesy Foster + Partners

BMCE Bank - Long section, drawing courtesy Foster + Partners

+ Project credits / data

Project: BMCE Bank Branches
Location: Rabat, Casablanca and Fes, Morocco
Typology: Office

Foster + Partners Team:

Norman Foster, David Nelson, Stefan Behling, Michael Jones, Kate Murphy, Ingrid Solken, Tommaso Franchi, Charles Di Piazza, Lara Thresher, Giuseppe Giacoppo, Rana Mezher, Susana Sousa, Benedicte Artault, Judith Kernt, Ben Cowd

Client: BMCE Bank (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur)
Collaborating Architects: Amine Mekouar, Karim Rouissi-Empreinte d'Architecte
Main Contractor: TGCC
Cost/Project Managers: Cap Advise
Structural Engineers: Buro Happold, Ateba
Mechanical Engineers: Buro Happold
Landscape Architect: Michel Desvigne
Lighting Consultant: George Sexton Associates
Photographer: Nigel Young

Appointment: 2007
Construction: February 2009- December 2010
Gross Area: Rabat – 655m², Casablanca – 370m², Fes – 750m²
Internal Net Area: Rabat – 300m², Casablanca – 200m², Fes – 340m²
Site Area: Rabat – 960m², Casablanca – 500m², Fes – 1280m²
Typical Gross Floor Area: Rabat – 240m², Casablanca – 150m², Fes – 210m²
Building Height: 11m
Number of storeys: 3
No. of Offices: Rabat – 6, Casablanca – 2, Fes – 8
Structure: Reinforced concrete
Cladding: Glazed aluminium façade, Stainless steel panels, Domes clad in Zellige (traditional ceramic tiling)
Sustainability: Vernacular earth tube device, Solar panels, Natural ventilation

+ All images and drawings courtesy Foster + Partners | Photo by Nigel Young