The project begins with the challenge of reusing and restoring an existing, vacant brownfield site located on the fringe between Seattle’s industrial district to the south and the heart of the city to the north.
Positioned in Elliott Bay, the site demands a delicate articulation between the distinct urban fabric along the shore and the increased environmental exposure toward the water.
The project aims to yield to the forces present on the site, namely the exposure of wind and sun on the south edge of the site, while also taking advantage of these forces as
The presence of annual cloud cover also allows for a freedom in plan regarding daylighting access, something the project aims to benefit from as well. The 120,000sf mixed use building adds 65,000sf additional program to accommodate the larger site, such as facilities to take advantage of the nearby busy ferry terminal, as well as bike and outdoor recreational facilities to respond to the burgeoning urban density that places 101 Alaskan Way at its core.
The shell-shaped roof represents a built thermostat to regulate thermal comfort, wind velocity, and humidity underneath its wooden roof. The design invested on the new image the pier as engine for the regeneration of the whole community. Now, the Seattle fringe with its bay and open water can be experienced across a unique covered-outdoor space.
niccolò benghi 