Urban icon designed to be relocated and reused
In South Lake Union adjacent to downtown Seattle, a single land-owner controlling most of the property in the area has led one of the nation’s largest urban renewal transformations. For a center highlighting the range of living options being developed, we were challenged to embrace the typical notions of flexibility; to create an iconic building to serve its current function well, yet which could be moved and repurposed in a different location when needs changed.
The state-of-the-art, 11,000-square-foot facility showcases a new kind of community and takes the concept of a sales and information center to an entirely new level, with an educational focus that generates awareness and demand for a sustainable urban lifestyle. To provide the most limitless solution, structural elements were sized to fit on trucks within street widths of South Lake Union, at which time the building is repurposed when the sales cycle ends and the block where it sits is developed.
The public reception of the Discovery Center has been overwhelmingly positive. Since it opened, the Center has hosted 55,000 guests, over 75 international tours and been host to 200+ presentations and event gatherings reaching a diverse audience including commercial, retail and residential tenants, community stakeholders and elected officials through engaging visuals and interactive media.