Spotlight: Tongass Ledge, 2021 GRAY Awards Finalist

A closer look at Tongass Ledge, one of five finalists in the 2021 GRAY Awards Residential Architecture category.

Tongass Ledge

Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects

Exterior of modern residential home built on a stone ledge in Alaska

Tongass Ledge sits gently perched along the western Alaska shore. Overlooking inlet waters and balanced at the edge of a rock wall, two volumes, each leaning at a subtle angle, capture the breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Designed by Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Architects

for a busy client who splits time between Seattle and Ketchikan, the house required a simple form and program that would be personalized through highly custom interiors. Standing at the edge of the vibrant Tongass Narrows, the Ledge is the perfect lookout for a nature lover.

Modern dining and living spaces with a view of the Alaskan shore in residential home built on a stone ledge

Defined by two tall shed roof structures with a connector between them, the house is divided into private and public spaces. The front door and adjacent mudroom on the eastern side obscured by tree coverage and minimal openings to help create a sense of seclusion from neighbors. Along the west side of the home, the master bedroom and living room extend as cantilevers over the rock wall below, giving a sense of floating above the water. Floor-to-ceiling windows draw the eye to the view beyond and give the interior spaces an outward directionality. A secondary set of lower shed roof volumes within the main building wings create both a seating nook by the living room and a laundry area near the guest bedroom.