Architect in Shoreline, WA — Piper Cole Architects

Shoreline sits directly north of Seattle along the Puget Sound shoreline, offering established residential neighborhoods, waterfront properties along Richmond Beach and Innis Arden, and a housing stock that spans mid-century ramblers to newer construction. The city has grown rapidly as Seattle’s housing pressure pushed northward, and significant investment in renovation and addition projects reflects the strength of Shoreline’s residential market. Piper Cole Architects serves Shoreline homeowners and businesses with full residential and commercial architecture services.

Shoreline Architecture Services

Custom Homes in Shoreline

Shoreline’s residential lots range from compact urban parcels near the Light Rail stations to generous wooded lots in the northern reaches of the city. Custom home design in Shoreline requires understanding the full range of site conditions — flat urban infill, sloped wooded lots, and the occasional waterfront parcel along Puget Sound. We design homes that respond to their specific site rather than importing a generic solution.

Home Additions in Shoreline

Shoreline’s housing stock is dominated by mid-century ramblers and split-level homes built between 1950 and 1975. These homes typically have strong structural bones, generous lots, and floor plans that benefit from reconfiguration. Additions and remodels that open the floor plan, add master suite square footage, or create indoor-outdoor connections to the backyard are among the most common projects we design in Shoreline.

ADU Design in Shoreline

Shoreline follows Washington State ADU law, allowing one attached and one detached ADU on most residential lots. Shoreline’s generous lots — particularly in the northern neighborhoods — are well-suited to detached backyard cottages that generate rental income or house extended family. We design ADUs in Shoreline from feasibility assessment through permit and construction support.

Renovation and Restoration

Mid-century homes in Shoreline’s established neighborhoods — Innis Arden, Richmond Highlands, and the neighborhoods near Meridian Park — often have excellent views of Puget Sound and the Olympics that existing layouts fail to capture. Our renovation projects in Shoreline frequently involve opening views, updating energy performance, and modernizing floor plans while preserving the character that makes these neighborhoods desirable.

Commercial Architecture in Shoreline

Shoreline’s commercial development is concentrated along Aurora Avenue North and near the new Light Rail stations. The city’s station area planning has created significant mixed-use and commercial development opportunity. We design commercial tenant improvements, retail spaces, and small mixed-use buildings in the Shoreline market.

Richmond Beach and Waterfront Properties

Richmond Beach is Shoreline’s waterfront neighborhood — a compact residential area with Puget Sound frontage, beach access, and some of the most dramatic views in the region. Waterfront properties here require shoreline permit review under Washington’s Shoreline Management Act in addition to standard building permits. We assess shoreline setbacks and regulatory requirements in our feasibility analysis before any design begins on waterfront properties.

Shoreline Permitting

Building permits in Shoreline are processed through the City of Shoreline’s Community Development Department. Shoreline uses a digital permitting system and has worked to reduce review timelines in recent years.

• Residential addition: 6–10 weeks
• New single-family home: 10–16 weeks
• ADU (attached or detached): 6–10 weeks
• Commercial tenant improvement: 6–10 weeks

Our Architecture Services

• Residential Architecture — Custom homes, additions, and ADUs in Shoreline
• Renovation & Restoration — Mid-century home renovations in Shoreline neighborhoods
• Commercial Architecture — Aurora corridor and station area commercial projects
• Interior Architecture — Interior design for renovation and new construction
• Our Design Process — From feasibility through construction completion

Other Service Areas

We also serve: Kirkland, Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island, Bothell, Kenmore, and Edmonds.