LIGHTBOX BY BOHLIN CYWINSKI JACKSON CAPTURES THE FOREST’S EVER-CHANGING LIGHT

A modest and minimal dwelling for a photographer and his family

Lightbox is a single-family residence located just south of British Columbia in Point Roberts, Washington. American architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson used humble materials in an innovative layout to create a simple-yet-satisfying home for a photographer and his family.

Exposed two-bys make up the home’s structure as well as provide the framework for a prefabricated aluminum window system of standard glazing units. A uniform size was selected in order to lower costs and reduce potential complications. The south-facing walls are constructed almost entirely of glazing behind which the two-storey interior is laid bare, providing a place for the contemplation of forest sunlight as it dances throughout the space.

In contrast, the northern-facing walls are more opaque with great portions covered in wood that has been stained with a traditional Finnish pine tar coating. Narrow openings provide unexpected frames for the conifer forest just outside.

With Lightbox, the architects were able to use simple materials and a simple shape to provide something that is at once meditative and dynamic. It takes advantage of the natural setting by turning it into a focal point and an ally through which light plays.