Seattle

The Van Asselt School, built in 1909 as a two-story, four-classroom wood-framed building is a testament to Seattle's rich history. Recognized as a City of Seattle historic landmark, the building's renovation, guided by the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, was a delicate balance of preserving the historic structure and meeting the needs of the present. This small, abandoned Tudor-style schoolhouse was revived in its original form, while a standalone CLT (cross laminated timber) two-story classroom and gymnasium was added, serving as a swing site for the school district’s ongoing upgrades. © Copyright 2024 Benjamin Benschneider All Rights Reserved. © Copyright 2024 Benjamin Benschneider All Rights Re... More

As part of an ongoing series of nationwide workplace projects commissioned by Fox Rothschild LLP, leading architecture and design firm FCA recently unveiled its latest renovation for the law firm’s existing Seattle office. Completed in April 2022, the stay-in-place renovation for the 20,350-square-foot office included visioning, programming, and design. Located in the heart of downtown Seattle’s central business district, the renovated office provides a flexible and modern workspace for staff to engage in while taking part in a hybrid work schedule. Jeffrey Totaro After conceptualizing the office overhaul in 2019, FCA and Fox Rothschild recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in project direction. The Se... More

The 1750 sq. ft. rooftop patio at Seattle’s iconic Edgewater Hotel was falling into disrepair. An elastomeric deck coating that had only been down for 1 year had already failed. With failed waterproofing, they couldn’t be confident that the hotel would not sustain water damage over time. Plus, the overall look of the patio was off-putting to guests who wanted to enjoy the hotel’s view of Seattle’s waterfront. The hotel owners decided to give the rooftop patio an upgrade with an attractive and durable outdoor tile surface.  Since the failed coating was layered over a sleeper floor and a torch-on roofing product, it was going to be a big job.  They called the roof deck experts at Duradek Northwest to ensure... More

This single family home is located in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. Developed, designed and built by Hybrid, the home is located on a steep hillside looking through a canopy of trees to territorial views. The defining feature of the house is the over-sized central staircase that follows the grade down the hill, connecting living spaces both vertically and horizontally. More

Preserving an existing, classic craftsman residence on a spacious lot in Seattle, the Hybrid team added much-needed density to the lot by designing six townhomes and one additional, modern private residence.  More

A fusion of innovative planning, iconic architecture, sustainable design, integrated technology and progressive amenity spaces, NEXUS is the evolution of urban living. Built by renowned developer, Burrard Properties and designed by Weber Thompson, Seattle's award-winning architectural firm, NEXUS is Seattle's newest landmark. The breathtaking 41-storey residential tower features 389 modern homes with impressive city and water views, state-of-the-art amenities and the most advanced technology. Burrard's corporate vision as a developer throughout the Pacific Northwest is to offer better urban experiences by creating engaging spaces that meaningfully improve the quality of life. NEXUS is a grand example of this bold vision whil... More

Originally built in 1951, this mid-century modern home overlooks beautiful Lake Washington in Seattle's Laurelhurst neighbourhood.  Our intent with this extensive renovation was to update the interior to meet the needs of a growing family while still respecting the original mid-century sensibility and the building’s integration with the surrounding natural landscape. The home is situated on the top of a steep hill down to Lake Washington and takes advantage of stunning views of the lake and the Cascade Mountains. The client desired to open and integrate the kitchen with the living room and dining area, creating a communal space that opens to the view. This renovation included a new kitchen, living room, and dining area as well... More

The developer purchased the urban lot in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood with an existing single family home in disrepair. The intent was to build a new contemporary house that fit within the existing footprint, and also fit into the neighborhood vernacular.The new design aimed to push the boundaries by using different shapes on the upper floors to maximize space and create a contemporary feel, while a classic gabled roof and box shape helped the home blend with the surrounding architecture. A large slider and porch on the front facade established a connection with the street and community without sacrificing privacy. The modern spin on a classic silhouette makes the home feel approachable despite the additional square footage. More

For their Seattle offices, this international financial services company desired a site-specific space inspired by the history and context of Seattle. Because the workplace is frequented by both local and business-wide employees and customers, the design establishes the 38,000-square-foot space as an observation point for the city of Seattle.Inspired by downtown Seattle and the Pike Place Market district visible just outside, the design is anchored by the “Town Hall” – a communal meeting and dining area that mixes uses in an open and versatile market-like space. Informal gathering areas, formal conference rooms and customer engagement areas are distributed across the office’s two floors, creating a sense of an urban environment within the w... More

Gensler Seattle unveiled ‘Blind Trust’, an interactive exhibit, at the 2018 Seattle Design in Public Festival. Blind Trust challenges visitors to use touch, rather than sight, as their primary means of navigation and interaction with the installation. Visitors move through three concentric, rectangular extrusions formed by rope stretched vertically between frames. While these tightly knit rope ‘walls’ appear impenetrable and visually homogenous, many of the ropes are actually elastic, allowing a participant to create an opening. In order to pass through each successive layer, visitors use their sense of touch to find possible paths. In the center of the rope forest is a clearing, open to the sky. This is intended as a moment of reflection f... More

“It was an honor to work on such an important corner and intersection in Seattle. The project is adjacent to one of the city’s most important cultural institutions – Pike Place Market – and so even today with all the changes Seattle has experienced, the area still carries a little of the Seattle I recall when I moved here in 1974.” ―Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBALocated in the heart of downtown Seattle, Thompson Seattle / 100 Stewart Hotel & Apartments serves as a contemporary landmark that visually and physically responds to the surrounding urban context. The site is situated adjacent to the historic Pike Place Market District and is neighbored by a range of buildings that represent Seattle’s rich history. For that reason, one of the primary a... More

A local developer approached Collaborative wanting to build two new homes on a challenging steep slope lot in West Seattle. The ECA designation required an elaborate foundation system to build the new structures on the site.Each home is 2,836 square feet plus a 550 square foot roof deck with territorial views of the Puget Sound. The homes feature single-car garages, elevators, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and open light-filled living spaces. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom face the water views as well as the deck off the living room. The sliding doors to the deck are partially covered by a cantilever, which is key in Seattle’s rainy climate. More

The homeowners approached Collaborative wanting to update their small 1,000 square-foot home in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. The design team’s challenge was to develop the steep slope site to take advantage of territorial views of the city and mountains while adhering to strict zoning requirements. The main design objectives included programming for a growing family and strong indoor/outdoor connections.All four floors of the home connect through an open central circulation tower. The main floor consists of a light-filled entry corridor, garage and entrance to the accessory dwelling unit (ADU); the second floor is home to key living spaces including the living room, kitchen, dining room, wet bar, patio, floor-to-ceiling windows and a cus... More