Sky Ranch – A Small House Set on the Roof of a Warehouse Overlooking a Marina

Many people would overlook factory and warehouse buildings as a place to site your home. However, the owner of this small house saw an opportunity where others might not.

The property, titled Sky Ranch, is set on the roof of a warehouse overlooking an active marina in Seattle. It serves as a small caretaker’s unit, and comes equipped with everything you need, both on and off the job.

The unit occupies a total area of 800-square-feet (74.32-square-meters) and is spread over a single level. It has a footprint that’s 20-feet (6.10-meters) long by 40-feet (12.19-meters) wide.

The humble abode was created by the American architecture firm, The Miller Hull Partnership. They, in conjunction with the client, dreamed up a rooftop cabin which was completed back in 2008.

In Seattle, many warehouses are near waterways with beautiful territorial views. This small, urban residence exemplifies what is possible when looking at these forgotten landscapes as new opportunities.

The house sports views over the marina, it’s waterways and the Olympic Mountain range beyond. Large floor to ceiling windows and patio doors grace the front of the building, providing uninterrupted outward views.

On the inside, rooms are laid out sequentially, leading into one another. An open plan living room, dining area and kitchen lead through to a bedroom, all of which are placed to the front of the house.

This unique space provides an opportunity to re-imagine how people can reconnect to the water in zones where the scale of the ubiquitous industrial structures tends to sever that relationship.

The back-end of the house contains the entrance, an area for laundry and an elongated bathroom. To the front of the house there’s also a terrace that overlooks the marina below, along with a few box planters to introduce a bit of greenery to the rooftop.

Photos © Benjamin Benschneider