Iolair — named after the Gaelic word for eagle — is a new artist-in-residence studio and gallery on Orcas Island, Washington, designed by Seattle studio GO’C. The building puts the site’s shifting light, carved spaces, and courtyard front and center, all in service of one goal: inspire the artists who’d live and work inside it. That goal landed: for the artists, Iolair became “an active collaborator in creation.”

Nestled in land that was once part of an apple orchard, the 1,600-square-foot Iolair sits between a residential neighborhood and a commercial corridor. Guests arrive to an ebony-stained cedar-clad building, carved open at one edge to reveal a splash of white. It’s a preview of white-walled interiors inside, a hint dropped before you’ve even crossed the threshold. The roofline’s height shifts to delineate public and private spaces. Inside: a working loft hovers over the gallery, joined by a small kitchen, separate public and private bathrooms, and a private sleeping room for the resident artist. 

The first phase of the project is a studio, gallery, artist residence, and office. These spaces are installed in an L-shaped building that faces a courtyard, an outdoor stage for exhibitions and future sculptures. Already, a nine-foot steel “Fern Totem” gate by local Orcas Island artist Zackarya Leck flanks the courtyard entrance, alongside his other works in the fire pit, door handle, and stair rail. Sculptor Pete Welty’s stone “Sun and Moon” artwork sits between the gallery and residence.

As a nod to its name, the north end of the gallery features a large circular window, much like an eagle’s eye: it draws natural light deep into the gallery, offering a distinctive visual connection to its surrounds. See more work by GO’C.

Photography © Kevin Scott