This developer house near Green Lake was on a site with mature evergreen trees that had to be protected during construction, which drove the shape of the house. Furthermore, the “front” yard was isolated from the street with a tall laurel hedge. The resulting privacy made the front of the house the private space for the family while the back alley would be the way in most of the time. Avoiding the trees dictated that the house get skinny, so we used the leftover to create spaces that flow from inside to out. The large open plan great room spills out onto two decks: one off the living room sharing a double-sided fireplace in the private (and shady) yard, another for outdoor dining off the kitchen with southern exposure. Inside, the shed roof allowed vaulted spaces with large windows capturing light and views of the trees all around.