Set on a prominent 4,784-square-foot triangular corner in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, this five-story, 18,573-square-foot building will accommodate 19 apartments and 4 commercial units, including a cafe. The site slopes steeply—a 14-foot-drop—to the southeast and to downtown Seattle.
Rather than design a triangular building for a triangular lot which would result in a mishmash of largely unusable and undesirable spaces, the design is organized through a series of orthogonal rectangular volumes set across the site (three in a row at the top and highest point, two in the middle tier, reducing to one at the bottom and lowest portion of the site).
The portions of the volumes that extend over the sidewalk are transformed into code-conforming bay windows, preserving the volume while meeting site development requirements. The result is a stepped building that maximizes the number of view units and avoids the boxy flatness typical of commodity buildings.The building is a study of contrasts. The view sides of the building are defined by floor-to-ceiling glass affording expansive views of the city, the Cascades, and Mount Rainier.
Each unit is expressed. Sliding screens on the southwest corner units provide sun screening and privacy, when desired. The stepped facade facing Woodland Park Avenue North provides a residential scale; while the other side of the building, the non-view side fronts a busy arterial and is characterized by a singular, relatively solid facade. Glazing here is for the most part limited to three rows of clerestory windows for each unit for added privacy.
The windows are arranged in a staggered raking pattern as a visual reference to the passage of speeding cars. This contract between the two principal facades is further enhanced through the use of materials. The view sides are wrapped with smooth, vertically oriented white SwissPearl panels, while the arterial side features dark, horizontally oriented corrugated metal paneling.
A rooftop deck tops the fifth level, providing ample amenity space and dramatic views of the city. Street-level niches, which correspond to the stepping of the building, animate the pedestrian experience. Clad in mirrors and bright colors, the niches will provide a visual treat and a reason to slow down and enjoy the city. Source by KOArchitecture.
- Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Architect: KOArchitecture
- Structural engineering: Swenson Say Faget
- Civil engineering: Davido Consulting Group
- Landscape design: Root of Design
- Geotechnical engineering: Pan Geo
- Developer/Builder: Sunset Hill Design Build
- Year: 2022
- Images: Notion Workshop, Courtesy of KOArchitecture
