Africatown Plaza An Iconic Home in Seattle's Central DistrictProject Title: Africatown Plaza An Iconic Home in Seattle's Central District Developed by a community land trust, Africatown Plaza is an iconic, mixed-use building in the Central District that celebrates both the history and the future of the African diaspora in Seattle with affordable housing, neighborhood-based retail and offices, and community-oriented amenities. The collaborative design process was grounded in a multifaceted public engagement effort that put current and former residents of the Central District in a leadership role. The result is a ground-floor experience that embraces the neighborhood with a plaza that welcomes and hosts community and cultural celebrations, streetscape seating for informal gathering, and entry terraces that foster a stoop culture of spontaneous socializing. Design forms are rooted in Afrocentric design principles, an art program promotes Black and African American artists, raised planters promote food security, while ornamental plantings combine Pacific Northwest natives with hardy plant selections from Africa. The success of the project demonstrates what’s possible when community members come together to address the challenges they face and to actively shape their collective future. |