Submitted by:
brgallag, Seattle

The presentation begins with an overarching urban analysis of Seattle as it pertains to Seattle Center. This analysis begins with the founded idea that there will, in the near future, be an intense densification of north downtown and South Lake Union pushing towards Seattle Center (slide 2). It then includes an investigation into uses around the city relating to uses that might be included as part of the Seattle Center campus with the intention of synergizing with this densification including, as examples, education, transportation (Seattle Center as a future transportation hub), sports complexes, parks (Seattle center as a continuation of Olmsted’s green ring and blue ring, slide 7), and the like (slides 3-6).

After the Urban Analysis stage of the project, the presentation moves to an insight as to the current strengths and weaknesses of the campus (slides 8, 9). It is from these strengths and weaknesses that a design concept for the campus can be formed.

But first, case studies are used to understand how other current design strategies with similar implications have approached these issues (slides 10-12).

The concept then evolves into that of a “permeable ring” through which a variety of uses are programmed to activate the site over a 24 hour period, the site is defined as a campus through a defined border, and this border is elevated and penetrable allowing a permeability through the campus from all sides. This ring allows densification at the edge of the campus creating an interface to the densification brought on by the city, additionally allowing an expansive, forested green space in the center. (slides 13-15).

Coordinated with the master planning design approach, the project then moves into a more architectural solution of the Center House as a campus hub serving as a creativity hub to the city. Programmatically from top to bottom, the Center House is broken down into artists lofts, moving down to shared art studios, then multimedia centers for film and other digital media, and finally towards the more public zones at ground level, display galleries and a more formal museum. The idea is that the program is a gradation from creation to demonstration or sharing of creativity. (slides 42-50)

Architecturally, as a building, the design is all about directionality and moving people through the ring from the city to the campus or vice versa.