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BLAKELY ISLAND A-FRAME
Anacortes, WA
The original A-frame was built in 1965 by the owner's father, who was a pilot and used the hangar next door. It had fallen into disuse and disrepair,
and demolition was even discussed, but ultimately the home is full of childhood memories and sentimental value. The house faces the community's
small-airplane runway, and watching planes land and take off is the main entertainment during the summer months. Therefore it felt only natural
for architect Nina LeBaron to add "airplane wings," a solution to gain space and form a connection to the A-frame in a unique way. One "wing"
contains a proper dining room with an outdoor seating area and fire pit, while the other houses the primary bedroom suite with its own private
deck. A proper staircase was added to gain access to the loft, replacing a steep, narrow ladder. Builder Nate Kaplan actually cut the top half of the
A-frame off and suspended it while windows and LaCantina doors were framed. Blakely Island is a part of the San Juan Islands and therefore only
accessible by private plane or boat, so all materials and equipment had to be specially barged in from the mainland, and the crew moved into the
hangar during the week.
Photographs courtesy of Island Architecture & Kaplan Homes
Designed by Island Architecture & Kaplan Homes, Anacortes, WA, page 215
