Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Tucked into the breathtaking landscape of Orcas Island in Washington State, Bunny Lane Residence is a contemporary waterfront retreat designed by Heliotrope Architects, a project that delicately balances tradition, memory, and modern living.
In this cinematic architecture film, we explore a home that reinterprets the idea of island vernacular through a refined and contemporary lens. Located in Mount Vernon, WA, United States, this 2,284-square-foot residence replaces a modest family cabin that had occupied the site for over four decades, transforming it into a timeless retreat designed for year-round living.
The architecture draws inspiration from traditional island farm structures, a “barn with a lean-to”, translated into a sophisticated residential program. The two-story gabled volume houses the private areas, including bedrooms and bathrooms, while the single-story shed structure opens up into a generous living and dining space, fully oriented toward expansive water views.
Designed to maximize both natural light and connection to the surrounding landscape, the home features stepped volumes that allow every upper-level bedroom to overlook the water. Expansive decks extend on both sides of the house, offering sheltered outdoor living regardless of wind direction, a subtle yet essential response to the coastal environment.
Materiality plays a key role in grounding the project within its context. Cedar cladding defines the exterior, while locally milled fir runs throughout the interiors, from hardwood flooring to custom-built elements. Even the dining table, crafted from a fallen madrona tree found on-site, reinforces the deep connection between architecture and place.
Outside, gravel pathways and a bluestone patio with a fire pit extend the living experience toward the waterfront, blurring the boundaries between built form and nature.
This film is conceived as a poetic and cinematic journey through the project, capturing not only its architectural logic, but also its atmosphere, light, textures, and the quiet relationship between the house and its surroundings.
Subscribe for more in-depth architecture films, modern house tours, and cinematic explorations of groundbreaking design worldwide.
Project: Bunny Lane
Architecture: Heliotrope Architects
Film by: Juan Benavides
Film Curatorship: Architecture Hunter
Location: Orcas Island, Washington, USA
Photography: Sean Airhart
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Gem of Private Brazilian Beaches: Studio MK27's Biribinhas Coastal Masterpiece:
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Interview: The Vision of Jacobsen Inside a Suspended Beach House in Rio de Janeiro:
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Tucked into the breathtaking landscape of Orcas Island in Washington State, Bunny Lane Residence is a contemporary waterfront retreat designed by Heliotrope Architects, a project that delicately balances tradition, memory, and modern living.
In this cinematic architecture film, we explore a home that reinterprets the idea of island vernacular through a refined and contemporary lens. Located in Mount Vernon, WA, United States, this 2,284-square-foot residence replaces a modest family cabin that had occupied the site for over four decades, transforming it into a timeless retreat designed for year-round living.
The architecture draws inspiration from traditional island farm structures, a “barn with a lean-to”, translated into a sophisticated residential program. The two-story gabled volume houses the private areas, including bedrooms and bathrooms, while the single-story shed structure opens up into a generous living and dining space, fully oriented toward expansive water views.
Designed to maximize both natural light and connection to the surrounding landscape, the home features stepped volumes that allow every upper-level bedroom to overlook the water. Expansive decks extend on both sides of the house, offering sheltered outdoor living regardless of wind direction, a subtle yet essential response to the coastal environment.
Materiality plays a key role in grounding the project within its context. Cedar cladding defines the exterior, while locally milled fir runs throughout the interiors, from hardwood flooring to custom-built elements. Even the dining table, crafted from a fallen madrona tree found on-site, reinforces the deep connection between architecture and place.
Outside, gravel pathways and a bluestone patio with a fire pit extend the living experience toward the waterfront, blurring the boundaries between built form and nature.
This film is conceived as a poetic and cinematic journey through the project, capturing not only its architectural logic, but also its atmosphere, light, textures, and the quiet relationship between the house and its surroundings.
Subscribe for more in-depth architecture films, modern house tours, and cinematic explorations of groundbreaking design worldwide.
Project: Bunny Lane
Architecture: Heliotrope Architects
Film by: Juan Benavides
Film Curatorship: Architecture Hunter
Location: Orcas Island, Washington, USA
Photography: Sean Airhart
Get to know other recent videos:
Interviews with the Creators: Studio MK27’s Biribinhas Private Beach House:
youtu.be/GI0H8tgoZpg
Gem of Private Brazilian Beaches: Studio MK27's Biribinhas Coastal Masterpiece:
youtu.be/bFygwzLR718
Interview: The Vision of Jacobsen Inside a Suspended Beach House in Rio de Janeiro:
youtu.be/xN1YbN1Jgws
Hunt, Watch & Read: architecturehunter.com
Instagram: instagram.com/architecture_hunter/.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/architecturehunter
TikTok: tiktok.com/@archihunters
Pinterest: br.pinterest.com/architecture_hunter
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: architecturehunter.com/newsletter
