Inspiration
Before 1850, the Georgetown area was very connected to nature; the Duwamish river wound through the community and its fertile soil was home to the Duwamish tribe. With colonization came industry, and the neighborhood was considered polluted and undesirable for many years. As a celebration of its ruggedness, the area became home to artists, craftsmen and architects over time. Studio Nebraska aims to honor the existing context while anticipating a greener future with a building that reveres the relationship–rather than boundary–between indoor and outdoor space. The design team’s goal is to set a precedent for reintroducing nature as a backdrop for creativity.

Problem-solving
The Passive House building will have many functions, including architecture studio, atelier, incubator space, free office space for nonprofi t environmental groups, event space for fundraisers, as well as a residential unit. Taking inspiration from the industrial vernacular, The Studio stacks the sprawling, single-story warehouse form to adapt it to the urban context. Like a tree trunk, The Studio’s exterior is made rugged and durable with metal cladding, while the branches and leaves emerge from every elevation as the gardens reach up and out of the Studio over time. Inside, occupants will be able to move through the office to stay with or move away from the sun and sounds. As a concept rooted in flexibility, The Studio was designed to fulfill needs that are difficult to foresee today–using repetition to create liberty of use, the Studio is set up to change function over time.

Environmental Sensitivity
The project is pursuing passive house status; like a seed, it was designed with highly insulated walls, windows and a roof, creating a noise barrier and boosting its ability to power and fuel itself from within. The design also incorporates a significant solar array and is designed to limit water use, with gardens primed for water retention. The Studio will function as a natural and artificial air filter with the reintroduction of native plants as well as high-efficiency particulate air filters targeting chemicals, dust, and toxic microorganisms. Designed for the future, the building will have strong air filters to accommodate occupants during poor air quality events.

Social Impact
Bringing together office tenants while offering free office space to local nonprofits creates a context for awareness and collaboration of what is most relevant to the local community and natural environment. The residential unit will be flexibly applied as a community-based short-term resource for artists, artists-in-residence, collaborators, and other community members. The inclusion of this unit also brings up the amount of hours a day that the Studio is able to be occupied, setting a precedent for what designing buildings in an industrial context can look like, and for how alive an industrial neighborhood can feel. The Studio is designed to work for the people in it, to respond to its context, and to work as a resource to the neighborhood–it was designed to be an active contributor to a good life, in a beautiful place.