Arbor Blocks
Project Title: Arbor Blocks Landscape Architect: HEWITT Category: General Design, Private Ownership Award: Award of Merit Location: Seattle, WA Description:
Comprised of a pair of commercial office buildings with 200,000 SF of office space and a tree-lined woonerf, prioritized for cyclists and pedestrians, this development showcases the unique opportunity to create an outdoor living room in the midst of the rapidly densifying neighborhood of South Lake Union.The design team took advantage of the green street designation to push beyond Seattle Department of Transportation standard requirements, allowing for a curving road geometry, narrow road width and the curbless street profile. Experience working closely with the agency on other innovative streetscapes built trust and created an environment focused on collaborative problem-solving, ensuring a safe, low-maintenance design that preserved as many of the existing trees as possible.
As the project progressed from early discussions to construction, the following rules guided decision-making:
•Break the Grid!
•Create a Green Refuge
•Rethink the Street
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