BUILD Blog

It’s time to get a few newly discovered and recently remembered items up on the blog. Last Friday evening the University of Washington held their annual Headlines Exhibit which highlights dozens of architectural projects that will soon be in construction. It’s a rare view at the design process and a great way to keep a pulse on what is coming Seattle’s way. It only runs for two weeks so get over to the UW and check it out. There are many more recommendations for Seattle at The Modern List and, as always, give us a shout if we missed anything.

2008 UW Headlines Exhibit from May 9 to May 25
College of Architecture and Urban Planning, 3949 15th Ave NE, 224 Gould Hall

[crappy photo by BUILD llc]
To you smaller architectural practices out there – this annual exhibit needs you. When first started, the exhibit was a good spectrum of northwest firms doing local work. Gradually the exhibit is getting consumed by the big sweat-shop design firms doing high rise projects in distant places. It’s losin its soul – so cowboy up next year.

Stumptown Coffee on 1st Hill, 1115 12th Ave

Café Press on 1st Hill, 1117 12th Ave, 206.709.7674
Some nice industrial interior design and a rack of cool magazines at the front.

Poco Wine Room, 1408 east Pine Str, 206.322.9463 by Department of Design

The Bernard in lower Queen Anne, Denny & Warren Ave N by Weinstein A|U
kudos to the developer and architect for doing something lasting and sharp.

[Photo by BUILD llc]

Fix design showroom, 570 1st Ave S, 206.838.3838
Newly remodeled, they rep cabinets, plumbing fixtures and all the cool stuff that goes along.

Joule restaurant, 1913 N 45th Str, 206.632.1913

[Photo by The Seattle PI]

Carnitech Headquarters at Pier 91 by Patano + Hafermann Architects
Some of you may have noticed this clean, modern piece of architecture going up between Queen Anne and Magnolia. Nice job to Chris and Laura of Studio PH on the completion.

[Photo from www.studioph.com]

Standard Home 1108 Pike Street, 206.464.0850
Beautifully restored Scandinavian and mid-century modern furniture.

Seva Home, 900 Lenora Street #116, 206.323.9920

We can’t even imagine how difficult it must be to do inspiring, forward thinking architecture at the civic level in Seattle. Over the last eight years a handful of firms have been doing some very admirable projects despite the growing challenges of public work and the increasing complexity of obtaining a building permit through Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD). Here are a number of excellent architectural contributions that have beaten the odds:

Fire station 10 by Weinstein A|U, 2008

Seattle West Precinct/911 by Weinstein A|U, 2000

Federal courthouse by NBBJ, 2004

City Hall by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson + Bassetti Architects, 2003

Fisher Pavilion by Miller Hull, 2001

Seattle Justice Center by NBBJ, 2003

…and of course the Seattle Public Library by OMA, 2004

Seattle’s branch libraries can be seen on an earlier post

So to those of you involved in this extraordinary work, does the City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development stand in the way each step of the process on their own projects too?

Seattle’s got some great lesser-known neighborhoods dotted with modern gems. North-east of downtown and due east of Green Lake sits the quiet but pleasantly modern neighborhood of Wedgwood. While the residential neighborhood itself is comprised of a wide range of architectural styles 35th Ave N.E., the main street running north-south in Wedgwood, is a nice tour of mid-century modernism with some contemporary additions and updates thrown in for good measure.

Starting from NE 65th Str and heading north on 35th Ave NE you’ll first notice the University Unitarian Church by Paul Kirk, built in 1960 (6556 35th Ave NE)

Photo by BUILD llc

Photo by BUILD llc

The Theodora by Robert Chervenak & Associates, 1965(6559 35th)

Photo by BUILD llc

Seattle Public Library – North East Branch by Paul Thiry, 1954 (6801 35th Ave N.E.) We missed this one in our post on Seattle’s Other Public Libraries.

Photo by BUILD llc

You’ll also pass by the Medical Clinic by Gene Zema, 1961 (6850 35th Ave NE), although we didn’t get a shot of it.

Wedgwood even has a handsome mega-chain-coffee-shop. We recommend you make it a bit more difficult for the folks at Starbucks to take over the world and get your coffee at Top Pot.

Photo by BUILD llc

Reward yourself for a successful tour of modernism at the home of the Northwest’s favorite doughnuts: Top Pot Doughnuts at 6855 35th Ave NE

Photo by BUILD llc

Today we’re going to throw some more recent Seattle projects at you. Some of them are hot off the press and others have been around for several months. All are great additions to our little city. A big thanks to the restaurants that let us drop by and get a few photos.

Txori, 2207 2nd Avenue, 206.204.9771

While we’re not food critics the food here is excellent and it offers the small northern Spain tapas experience you last had after visiting the Bilbao Guggenheim. The design is kept simple and timeless – using the tidy organization of beautifully stored foods as the kitchen backdrop. The rotating art is simple and unassuming. There isn’t much elbow room but that’s precisely the authenticity you’re going there for.

Kurrent Restaurant + Bar, 600 E Pine, 206.323.1923

The interiors do a nice job of creating separate gathering areas that aesthetically relate to one another. A sleek see-through fireplace near the entry helps warm the body and spirit. The dark sumptuous structure is balanced with refreshing lime green furnishings.

Boom Noodle, 1121 E Pike Str, 206.701.9130

Boom has a policy of no interior photos (at least for us) so we won’t be showing off the slick interior – you’ll just have to experience it in person. The trendy restaurant and bar is situated in the extremely well designed Agnes loft building.

We have no idea who designed these restaurants – if you know, drop us a line, we’d love to give the architects and designers credit. For food reviews sink your teeth into this site on local restaurants.

Agnes Lofts, 1121 Pike Str (at 12^th)

Clean, rational and inspiring. Weinstein Architects + Urban Designers LLC have a long track record of doing very handsome work in the northwest. The building houses 24 apartment units and ground level commercial space, including Boom Noodle restaurant.

Bertschi School, 2227 10th Avenue East

Miller Hull knocks the ball out of the park yet again with this regional modernist gem. The lucky elementary students attending this school will experience warm, sensible design from the get go.

Many, many more at The Modern List Seattle

Don’t get us wrong, we love the Seattle Library and everything it’s done for reading, spiral Dewey decimal systems, and librarian action figures. It’s just that so much attention has been paid to it and its Dutch author in the last several years that some very handsome work has been overlooked in town. We’ve rounded up images of eight hot Seattle branch libraries scattered around the city. These libraries appeal to us because they each have a successful design concept, are good examples of regional modernism, and have been well executed. Each of these libraries creates a sense of place and has been designed by a local architect – not that we have anything against the Netherlandian architects. By the way Amsterdam, just let us know when you’ll be awarding that enormous civic project to a Seattle based firm – our schedules free up a bit this spring…

Montlake Branch, 2401 24th Ave. E., Weinstein A|U

Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W., Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E., Johnston Architects & Cutler Anderson Architects

Central District (Douglass-Truth Branch), 2300 E. Yesler Way, Schacht Aslani Architects

Thanks to the hard-working folks at Architechnophilia who covered this one back in October

Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave. S., Carlson Architects P.S.

Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., Miller Hayashi Architects

Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., Buffalo Design

Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E., The Miller Hull Partnership