![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_hero.gif)
Stained plywood box houses kitchen and bedroom in renovated Seattle condo
US architecture firm GoCstudio has inserted a dark plywood box into an apartment in Seattle that doubles as a studio space for an amateur photographer.
![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x722.jpg)
Western Studio is a home and studio designed for a client who enjoys photography and hosting guests. The 1,000-square-foot (92.9-square-metre) open-plan unit is located inside a commercial building in Seattle's Belltown neighbourhood.
![](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_17-852x1018.jpg)
The remodel centred around designing a volume that could house the condo's main living spaces, including a bedroom nook and updated bathroom.
"The goal for the project was to reimagine the kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area in a compact multifunctional box which allows the rest of the space to be open plan and adaptable," GoCstudio said.
![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_21-852x1340.jpg)
A row of cabinets, grey kitchen appliances and a sliding wood door front the monolithic box that is clad with stained plywood. The structure faces the unit's open-plan living area that was partially converted into a photography studio during the renovation.
To transform the space into a studio, the client proposed building an adjustable system to hold chainmail curtains that could be easily swapped out for photographic backdrops during a shoot.
Vertical metal panels attach to a track on the ceiling, which also features exposed pipes that nod to the apartment building's industrial past.
A compact bedroom with felt-covered walls is nestled into one corner of the box. Inside the unit, the bed is stacked on top of wood storage cabinets and a skylight is situated above to light and ventilate the narrow space.
![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_15-852x1204.jpg)
Dark, venetian plastering in the bathroom matches the hue of the stained plywood used on the box's exterior. Fixtures in the confined room include a custom carved Jatoba sink and vanity and a rain shower head equipped with colour changing lights.
![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x1231.jpg)
To add storage and utility space the studio designed a "loft" level above the box structure that can be accessed from a side door or the row of cabinets on top of the kitchen.
Other custom-designed elements in the unit include the Jatoba wood dining table that is paired with Hanko Chairs from Chadhaus and a pendant light fixture from Studio David Pompa.
![Western Studio by goCstudio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/06/western-studio-gocstudio-seattle-washington_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x1112.jpg)
GoCstudio is a Seattle architecture and design firm founded in 2012 by Jon Gentry and Aimée O'Carroll. It has completed a number of projects in the Seattle area, such as a winery designed to blend with natural surroundings and a remodelled office building.
Photography is by Aaron Leitz.
Project Credits:
Project team: Jon Gentry, Aimée O'Carroll, Ben Kruse, Yuchen Qiu
Structural engineering: J Welch Engineering
Builder: Sparrow Woodworks