The new Angle Lake Transit Station and Plaza is an Envision certified sustainable mixed-use facility consisting of a 1-acre connecting plaza and community event spaces, a drop-off area for light rail users, retail space with dedicated bike storage and parking and a 35,000 square-foot parcel for future transit-oriented development.
Angle Lake Station is an important transit hub in the Sound Transit portfolio of transit facilities. Inspired by William Forsythe’s improvisational piece ‘Dance Geometry’ where dancers connect their bodies by matching lines in space that could be bent, tossed or otherwise distorted, this idea lessens the need to think about the end result and focus more on discovering new ways of movement and transformations’.
Using ruled surface geometry, the undulating façade is formed by connecting two curves with a series of straight lines to form the surface of the façade. Each of the custom aluminum façade elements were designed and segmented into standardized sizes for the most efficient structural shape and material form, while maximizing production, fabrication and installation cost efficiency.
This technique allowed the design team to work with complex curved forms and rationalize them into simple, cost-effective standardized components, making them easy to fabricate and efficient to install. The entire façade was installed in less than three weeks without the use of cranes or special equipment.
Beginning with the top and bottom chords, every segment of the curves was reduced to either measurable arcs for a pipe roller or straight-line segments for standardized shapes. Following this process, the lines of the ruled surface had to be segmented into standardized sizes for efficient fabrication while adhering to a set of rules given by the structural properties of the material.
The architect provided analysis, constructability, and digital documents for direct and automated fabrication. The seven acre 400,000 square foot mixed-use complex it features a seven-story, cast-in-place and post-tensioned concrete structure with an exterior façade that uses over 7,500 custom formed blue anodized aluminum façade panels.
With five levels above ground and two levels partially below ground the mixed-use structure takes advantage of the sloping site topography. It is accessible from three different street locations at various levels with 2,500 square feet of retail space at ground level and a 35,000-square-foot site to the west to support future transit-oriented development.
The public plaza, on the third level, connects directly to the light rail entry, parking structure and public streets. It includes a passenger drop-off area, para-transit loading areas, and a covered walkway from the garage to the station. It forms a physical and visual connection between the project elements and includes several displays of regionally inspired artwork.
The plaza is designed to accommodate community events, such as festivals, farmers’ markets, art exhibits, and other outdoor public gatherings. The design and location of major project elements maximize function, sustainability, and aesthetics while providing an efficient use of space.
The 1.6 mile elevated light rail extension provides rapid public transit from the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, the Rainier Valley, downtown Seattle, and the University of Washington. Source by Brooks + Scarpa.
- Location: 19955 28th Ave South, Seatac, USA
- Architect: Brooks + Scarpa
- Local Engineers/Architects: Berger ABAM
- Project Team: Lawrence Scarpa (Lead Designer), Angela Brooks (Project Executive), Mario Cipresso (Project Architect), Emily Hodgdon, Mark Buckland, Jeff Huber, Chinh Nguyen, Cesar Delgado, Fui Srivikorn, Christina Wilkinson, Royce Scortino, Sheisa Roghini, Soha Momeni, Ryan Bostic
- Project Executive: Bob Griebenow
- Project Director/Engineer: Lars Holte
- Landscape: Brooks + Scarpa and David Sacamano-BergerABAM
- Structural Engineering: BergerABAM
- Electrical and Lighting: Stantec
- Mechanical: Sazan Group, Inc.
- Lighting Design: Luminescense
- Civil Engineering: BergerABAM
- Geotechnical: Shannon & Wilson
- Wayfinding: Brooks + Scarpa
- Contractor: Harbor Pacific/Graham
- Specifications: Brooks + Scarpa and BergerABAM
- Façade Engineering: Brooks + Scarpa, Lars Holte, P.E., Walter P. Moore
- Façade Fabrication: APEL Extrusions and Intermountain Industrial Fab
- Client/Owner: Sound Transit
- Total Square Footage: 7 acres total – 402,500 sf
- Total Cost: $36.1 million
- Completed: 2017
- Photographs: Ben Benschneider and Brooks + Scarpa, Courtesy of Brooks + Scarpa
