The 2006 Harrison Ford thriller Firewall isn’t the kind of movie I’d typically sit down and watch. I like Harrison Ford, but when I heard this one was about a security expert whose wife and children are held for ransom until he can swipe $100 million from the bank he’s supposed to be protecting, it didn’t make me race to the theater. When I caught glimpses of his house in the trailers for the movie, though, I was intrigued.
The story takes place in Seattle, but the house scenes were actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada. It was designed by architect Brian Hemingway, and there are photos in his portfolio of the house, dubbed “Tidewater.”
It describes the house this way:
With the ocean as its pedestal, this 8000 sq. ft. post, beam and glass home sits nestled into the landscape’s edge. Unobstructed views in every direction allow the residents to intimately relate to the beauty of their natural surroundings.
Hemingway attempted to create a visual symphony of parts that flow from the guiding principles of the plan, and extend to the structure, flooring materials, built-in furnishings, cabinets, doors, window frames and light fixtures.
The views of the water are pretty amazing.
In the movie, Virginia Madsen plays Harrison Ford’s wife, an architect who designed the house herself.
The bedroom has a fireplace surrounded by windows:
Here’s how that fireplace wall looked in the movie, with Harrison Ford standing in front of it:
The kitchen is where most of the action takes place. And what a kitchen it is!
The thugs set up office in the kitchen with all of their surveillance equipment:
This view of the other kitchen wall shows that the glass not only goes two stories high–but across part of the ceiling, as well:
In the movie, the camera follows the actors so closely that we rarely get a shot wide enough to show how impressive the rooms are:
I wish Paul Bettany would stop playing the baddie all the time. In real life he’s funny and charming (on talk shows, at least!), and I love him in more light-hearted movies like the romantic comedy Wimbledon.
You can see photos of the gorgeous Park Slope brownstone that Paul and his wife Jennifer Connelly lived in here.
Working in the home office:
Here are the kids–and the dog–hanging out in the family room before the bad guys arrive:
This view up the hall to the back door shows how many levels there are in the house. It seems like you have to go up or down stairs to get from one room to another:
A close-up of the windows from outside:
My daughter just walked in and said, “That’s a house? It looks like an office building!”
The house lit up at night:
You can see more photos of the house in architect Brian Hemingway’s portfolio, along with more gorgeous homes he has designed. Thanks to Southgate Residential for help with the research.
This one’s for Renato, a reader who sent me “Downton Abbey” on DVD (love it!), and said he hoped I’d consider doing a post about the house in Firewall, which is one of his favorites. You got it, Renato! 
Click Here to See All of the Other Movie Houses I’ve Featured!
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