Project: Ghost Cabin
Architects: SHED Architecture & Design
Contractor: Plumb Level Square
Location: Seattle, Washington, United States
Year 2018
Photographs: Rafael Soldi
The Ghost Cabin by SHED Architecture & Design is a unique art installation in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Commissioned in 2017 for the Chophouse Row courtyard, the project pays tribute to a long-forgotten pioneer home unearthed during construction. What began as an accidental discovery has evolved into a community landmark, blending history, art, and architecture in a powerful narrative.
Discovery of “Grandma’s House”
In 2013, contractors working on Chophouse Row uncovered the buried foundation of a small 19th-century pioneer home. The crew nicknamed it “Grandma’s House” and even joked that her ghost was slowing construction progress. This unexpected find sparked the idea of creating a permanent tribute to the site’s hidden past.
Commissioning the Artwork
Four years later, developer Liz Dunn, owner of Chophouse Row, sought an artwork that would celebrate the discovery while enriching the courtyard as a gathering space. Curator Greg Lundgren helped select the design team, and SHED Architecture & Design’s proposal stood out for its ability to merge memory with modern design. The concept: a ghostly reappearance of the cabin that once stood on the site.
Design of the Ghost Cabin
To bring the vision to life, SHED projected the silhouette of a gabled cabin onto the corner surfaces of the courtyard. Within these boundaries, cedar wood planks were carefully placed to form the outline. As visitors move through the courtyard, the shape distorts and dissolves. Yet from a precise vantage point, the elements align, and the Ghost Cabin suddenly comes into focus, revealing the spectral presence of the pioneer structure.
A Gathering Place for the Community
Today, the courtyard has been transformed into more than just a pass-through space. Ghost Cabin has created a destination where people meet for business, attend small concerts, or enjoy a glass of wine by the fire. By blending architectural memory with social vitality, the installation ensures that the site’s history lives on in an engaging and communal way.
Ghost Cabin as a Living Tribute
Ultimately, the Ghost Cabin demonstrates how architecture and art can collaborate to preserve cultural memory. SHED Architecture & Design succeeded in turning a buried fragment of Seattle’s past into a vibrant centerpiece for community life. The piece honors history, sparks curiosity, and adds new meaning to Chophouse Row.
