repurposing greyfields

repurposing greyfields an infill site on seattle’s alaskan way

program document anne m. zuercher

table of contents mission statement project context research project typology research ‘goals and objectives’ project ‘facts’ and quantitative requirements spatial organization and strategies graphic representation conclusion

mission Located along Alaskan Way in Seattle, WA, the site chosen for this infill building and adaptive re-use project is an existing parking lot constrained between an existing brick structure and an onramp to the Alaskan Way Via-duct. The via-duct however will be removed, opening this site up to great views of the waterfront and potential for an infill structure, catering to local citizens as well as tourists.

The structure designed has been programmed for multi-purpose use. A boutique hotel makes up the greater half of this six story building, while gallery space, a coffee shop and bar fulfill the existing needs of downtown Seattle. The on-ramp tucked between the existing and infill structures will no longer be necessary for automobile traffic when this removal takes place. Proposing a pedestrian linear park as the new use of the ramp will not only adoptively reuse the existing infrastructure, it will also allow active involvement within the downtown of Seattle. A pocket sculptural park will also be implemented into the site corresponding to the art gallery and the pedestrian park nearby.

project context research

0 King County, Washington

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geographic 3

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Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington, located in the Northwestern United States. A coastal city and major seaport, it is located in the western part of the state on an isthmus between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about one hundred miles south of the Canadian border.

Seattle is also a major economic, cultural and educational center in the region.

1 Elliott Bay 2 The Space Needle

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3 Lake Union 4

4 Ferry Loading Docks

The Alaskan Way Via-duct is a bridge freeway carrying Washington State Route 99 over the Elliott Bay waterfront. Originally opening in 1953, the structure has helped shape the development of the city and its history. After the viaduct was damaged in 2001, it was proposed to be replaced by an underground tunnel. This removal has both negative and positive aspects and therefore is a very controversial issue in Seattle.

5 Steinbrueck Park

9 Alaskan Way Via-duct

6 Seattle Central Library

10 Western Avenue

7 Pike Place Market

11 Seattle Aquarium

8 Seattle Art Museum

12 Pioneer Square

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8 6 12

Instantly intrigued by neglect of sites located around the via-duct, this site, located on the East side of the Alaskan Way via-duct. Across from the ferry loading docks and only a few blocks from Pioneer Square and Pike’s Place, the small infill site seemed in an ideal location. It is currently being used as a parking lot, with an on-ramp to the via-duct separating the lot from the seven story office building on the Southern end. With the cities’ intensions of removing the Via-duct separating the site from the waterfront, the great views and social interaction would be enhanced. There was great potential for adaptive reuse, creative sustainable solutions and an economic boost for the downtown. The site represents ‘underperforming asphalt’ within a context that promises to be regenerated through changes to the via-duct.

13 Infill Structure Site (existing parking lot) 14 Adaptive Re-use Via-duct On Ramp 17

15 Pocket Sculpture Park (existing back road) 13

16 Existing Office Space (7 stories) 17 Existing Mixed-use Building (5 stories)

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social and political

As a major economic, cultural and educational center in the region, Seattle is the county seat of King County. By census estimate, the city has a municipal population of 595,000, and the metropolitan area population of 3, 260,000, making it the twenty-fourth largest city by population in the United States. The demographics of the population help to make up the unique culture in the metropolitan area. Known as one of the most liberal cities in the United States, approximately 80% of the population vote Democrat.

Although the proposal to remove the Alaskan Way Via-duct is controversial, the change will open up the commercial district to great views and better social engagement with the waterfront. The replacement of Seattle’s aging seawall, and improvements made to the coast will increase the economic and aesthetic value of the real estate around the entire area. This historical shift in the infrastructure of Seattle will influence the City of Seattle, entire community of Seattle, tourists coming into the area, real estate owners and future entrepreneurs of the district.

historical

The Seattle area has been inhabited for at least 4000 years, but the European settlement began only in the mid19th century in the Elliott Bay area. Located near areas of extensive natural and mineral resources, Seattle follows economic trends.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct was built in 1953, allowing cars to avoid the surface street traffic through downtown Seattle. Becuase the Viaduct is located on the Seattle waterfront, it is especially susceptible to earthquake damage. It also blocks views to and from the waterfront, separating the city from one of its most reputable traits. Because of these issues it has been proposed to remove the viaduct, replacing it with an underground tunnel.

climatic

Seattle’s climate is fairly mild, although extremes are moderated by the Puget Sound, the greater Pacific Ocean and Lake Washington. The region is partially protected from Pacific storms by the Olympic Mountains and from the Cascade Range, Seattle has typically moderate Southern prevailing winds. The city also has the reputation for frequent rain. The city is cloudy and overcast on an average of 226 days per year. Winters are cool and wet, summers are dry and warm.

project typology research

Monopolizing on the 21 public intersections along the site, strategic simple stairs ascending into the wilderness and open views to the river and surrounding neighborhoods. Block by elevated block, the meandering boardwalk includes renegade plants unique to this post-industrial landscape.

Definitively protecting the highline from future private development, the low line resourcefully structures the private enterprises that can contribute to, rather than compete with, the unique landscape above. Light, water and wind are adaptively manipulated to respond to the surrounding buildings, continuously recreating vibrant microclimates for the landscape.

reclaiming the highline

sky village The 116 meter tall tower accommodates apartments, a hotel, retail and offices. A public park and a plaza are also part of the privately funded scheme.The new skyscraper with a total surface of 21,688 sq. m will be located at Roskildevej, a major artery East of the centre of Copenhagen. The skyscraper is shaped to reflect Copenhagen’s historical spire and present day high-rise blending in the skyline of the city, it further combines the two distinctive typologies of Rødovre, the single family home and the skyscraper in a vertical village.

Consideration of these local characteristics leads to Copenhagen’s first contemporary high-rise.Flexibility for adaptation is one of the best sustainable characteristics of a building. Besides this the Sky Village will also integrate the latest technologies according to the progressive Danish environmental standards. Furthermore the plans include a greywater circuit, the use of 40% recycled concrete in the foundation and a variety of energy producing devices on the façade.

London’s City Hall

City Hall is the purpose-built home of the Greater London Authority. The Norman Foster design is a deliberately iconic building. Its form, a distorted glass sphere, is justified in terms of two sorts of function: environmental, reducing the total glass surface area of the building; and democratic, with the whole building designed around a magnificent interior ramp down which the people can symbolically walk above the debating chamber of their elected representatives.

Geometry of the spiral ramp and the views out through the glass walls make the space brilliant.

Cooling for the building is provided by groundwater pumped round the building from bore holes sunk to the level of London’s water table. The water is further used to fill the toilets, representing a considerable savings in water use. Solar panels were installed on the roof to further increase the building’s environmental sustainability. The City Hall has been designed with an open floor plan, flexible to be arranged for multiple events.

‘goals and objectives’ human safety economic environmental cultural

human 0

As a mixed use structure, the boutique hotel utilizes both public and private space. Levels one and two serve as public spaces. With an open plan, the reception and lobby for the hotel is also the entrance into the resturant, with a lofted bar above. The art gallery also intertwines amongst the two, but is divided for separate hours of operation.

With offices on the second level loft, workers and visitors can both take advantage of the views. With a grand spiral staircase centered between the three individual functions, bridges lead to the lofted spaces and over to the pedestrian viaduct bridge on the second floor.

0 public space 1 private space

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Contrarily, levels three, four and five make up the individual hotel rooms, providing private space for the guests.

Each room has a deck out to a great view of either the waterfront or the commercial district of Seattle. The large space in the center serves as a linear gathering space, adaptable for different events and occasions. The large glass panels and skylight from the staircase bring natural light into the center of this space.

The rooftop serves as an exercize facility for the hotel guests, an outdoor gathering space and a rooftop garden with a water catchment system.

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safety

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secondary stairs

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elevator

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grand spiral stairs

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structural steel frame

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Following the United States safety code, two fire exits have been programmed as secondary means of egress, located on either side of the structure. An elevator is located on one side of the grand spiral staircase.

Constructed with a structural steel I-beam frame, the building is surely safe for every user. Individual public spaces are closed at night for security, as well as using key access for all hotel visitors.

environmental

With a rainy, overcast city like Seattle, it is essential to catch water runoff. The rooftop serves as a large rooftop garden, letting some water percolate through the soil and into a cistern. Some water flows through an interactive feature, down the glass cantilever panels and also into a cistern. This water feature adds interest to the building while educating all visitors about the importance of sustainability. Both cisterns store the water, to be re-used in toliets and for irrigation. Natural daylighting spaces can also be tricky in Seattle. Because my structure hugs an existing structure to the North, there is no opportunity for any penetration on that facade.

The South facade, faces a seventy-five foot structure, about fourty feet away, blocking some of that light as well.

By adding a twenty three by twenty three foor skylight on top of the grand staircase, going up all six levels, lots of light is able to penetrate all the way to the bottom levels. Each hotel room also has floor to cieling windows on their view-facing wall and the south facade gets daylight from both clerestories and a twenty foot glass feature wall, repetitiously moving up the structure.Adaptively re-using the viaduct as well as xeroscaping both the pedestrian linear park and the sculpture garden help to cut back on water and material waste.

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skylight

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rooftop garden

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water catchment system

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viaduct adaptive re-use

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cultural

The contraverial issue of removing the viaduct will effect the culture of Seattle greatly. Built in 1953, the infrastructure has helped to shape the city, creating one of the most efficient forms of individual moterized traffic in that time. Both fortunatly and unfortunatly, automobile transportation is coming to an end and the U.S. must proactively start to implement new and more innovative infrastructure.

Integrating the removal of the viaduct with pedestrian circulation and interactive parks, the connection between the waterfront and Seattle’s commercial district will be renewed.

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10 pedestrian linear park 11 pocket sculptural park 12 infill structure

economic 13 great views 14 outdoor gathering space

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With the U.S. economy suffering, finantial feasibility is important.

By phasing the project and with correspondence with the City of Seattle as they plan the removal process, the structure will be feasible. Great views, location, retail space and outdoor gathering areas will help to intrigue potential guests. Sustainable features also help to pay for the structure and add interest to the space as a whole.

spaces levels basic footage square footage

project ‘facts’ and quantitative requirements

spaces

This project explores issues of sustainable design as they apply to the urban context.

By select a parking lot along the Seattle Waterfront under the Alaska Viaduct the site includes a sustainable urban infill building and urban green space. The building is mixed use, and incorporates green strategies that promote a paradigm shift for urban users. The project includes commercial uses on the ground floor Upper floors programmed to be rooms for a “green” hotel. The hotel addresses a variety of markets from upscale business and tourist to an emerging concept to fit the shrinking US economy in the form of a “micro-hotel” as well as promote more efficient urban land use. This hotel type, which is based on European hotel models, features highly designed but ship like efficiency in the design of individual rooms with built ins etc. Micro-hotels are being implemented in larger cities like NYC and Chicago for business travelers and tourists to reduce costs for guests who need to stay in a downtown area with high real estate costs (average $100/night).

level

ground level

basic footage square footage 50’ x 120’

6000 squ ft.

ground loft level

53’ x 25’, 53’ x 25’, 3’ x 35’

2755 sq. ft.

level 3

level 4

56’ x 120’

6720 sq. ft.

59’ x 120’

7080 sq. ft.

level 5

62’ x 120’

7440 sq. ft.

level 6

65’ x 126’

8190 sq. ft.

spatial organization and strategies site plan floorplan 1 & 2 floorplan 3,4 & 5

site plan

levels one & two

levels 3, 4 & 5

western facing perspective

graphic representation

eastern facing perspective view from across the street

eye level viewed perspectives

southern facing elevation

structure and viaduct section

aerial site perspective

perspective view from the pedestrian linear park

The site chosen for this infill building and adaptive re-use project is an existing parking lot constrained between an existing brick structure and an on-ramp to the Alaskan Way Via-duct, located in Seattle, WA. The via-duct however will be removed, opening this site up to great views of the waterfront and potential for an infill structure, catering to local citizens as well as tourists. The structure designed has been programmed for multi-purpose use. A boutique hotel makes up the greater half of this six story building, while gallery space, a coffee shop and bar fulfill the existing needs of downtown Seattle. The on-ramp tucked between the existing and infill structures will no longer be necessary for automobile traffic when this removal takes place. Proposing a pedestrian linear park as the new use of the ramp will not only adoptively reuse the existing infrastructure, it will also allow active involvement within the downtown of Seattle. A pocket sculptural park will also be implemented into the site corresponding to the art gallery and the pedestrian park nearby. Focusing on the objectives of human needs, safety, economic feasibility, environmental and sustainble implementation and cultural needs this infill site will be transformed into a socially and physically functional space for downtown Seattle.

conclusion