Take a peek inside Bill Gates' guest house

Architect: Cutler Anderson Architects From the architect: Situated at the high end of a steep, suburban lot on Lake Washington, the 1,700-square-foot guesthouse was the first in a compound of buildings designed to combine state-of-the-art computer technology with environmental sensitivity. The intent was to test managerial, aesthetic, and structural systems in this initial building before continuing with the rest of the complex. The guesthouse was sunken into the earth so that it would be barely visible from the entry drive. The residence is glass on two sides, where sliding panels open its interior to the outside; the remaining two walls are concrete. One enters the house between two board formed concrete walls, with light visible only in the distance, drawing the visitor into the earth-covered structure. Beyond an entry ramp lined with concrete columns, the building flattens and opens out to reveal the view and terrace.

Story by: Trends