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Built in 1892 the Metropole is a key historic building in Seattle's Pioneer Square District that has been completely unoccupied for decades.

The Metropole: After

An innovative vision of the Satterberg Foundation, Forterra, and BuildingWork, the renovated and expanded Metropole will house a child care center, meeting and event space, and office spaces for not-for-profit organizations that support communities of color. The project focuses on equity, social justice, and environmental stewardship with LEED Platinum certification.

760 Aloha: Before

BuildingWork and Nitze Stagen found a unique opportunity to repurpose a one-and-a-half-story concrete warehouse that was built in the 1950s as a paint manufacturing facility.

760 Aloha Adaptive Reuse Project in South Lake Union, Seattle

760 Aloha: After

BuildingWork has designed a new four-story addition with a translucent glass façade that sits above the original heavy concrete warehouse – creating a unique office building that connects the past and the future of work in Seattle. The project will be LEED Silver certified.

Korn Walker Block: Before

The Korn Walker Block project encompasses eight historic buildings in significant disrepair in Seattle’s Pioneer Square District.

Korn Walker Block: After

Working with Unico and Lake Union Partners, BuildingWork’s design will renovate the eight buildings comprehensively and replace upper floors that collapsed in a 1949 earthquake, with an approach that responds to the historic context of the Pioneer Square District. The project will be LEED Gold certified.

BuildingWork is an architecture firm in Seattle, Washington that is committed to the idea that architecture, design, and preservation can strengthen our communities. We design projects and places in a meaningful way with a deep respect for craft, context, and detail. As an architecture firm focused on civic and community spaces, creative workplaces, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation, we are driven by discovering the humanity, layers of history, and stories that make places special.

We view architecture as an opportunity to layer use and meaning in our surroundings. Our projects evolve from thoughtful social, cultural, historical, and physical analysis informed by our client’s vision, and driven by the best interests of the communities we serve. The urban fabric of our cities is rapidly changing. We work to improve our cities by establishing and preserving the sense of place that makes them unique.

see our work

Our Washington Park preservation and adaptive reuse project is now complete as one of the ten buildings we’re renovating in the Pioneer Square Preservation District.

For decades, Washington Park was hidden by the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated highway once located where downtown Seattle meets the Puget Sound. Following the demolition of the viaduct in 2019, our ambitious preservation and adaptive reuse of the historic building serves as an exciting next step toward reclaiming the waterfront, blending contemporary functionality with historic architecture.

Swipe for a behind-the-scenes look at our recent photoshoot with @dougwalkerphoto. We look forward to sharing the final images soon.

Developer: @lakeunionpartners and @unicoproperties
General Contractor: WG Clark Construction
Structural Engineer: @cpl_inc

#buildingworkarchitects #seattlearchitects #adaptivereuse #urbanarchitecture #urbandesign #commercialdesign #officedesign #redevelopment #renovation #pioneersquare #historicalbuilding #historicalarchitecture

On Earth Day and every day, we utilize creative problem-solving to advance environmentally responsive design.

With rising concerns about the climate crisis and pressure to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, there is an increasing need for sustainable building, materials manufacturing, and transportation. We believe that creating harmonious coexistence between the new and the old is one way to build sustainably in Seattle and beyond. Our firm focuses on the preservation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings as a way to responsibly respond to modern needs, reduce carbon emissions, and retain what's unique about urban environments.

#buildingwork #buildingworkarchitects #seattlearchitecture #seattlearchitects #seattledesign #earthday #earthmonth #earthweek #sustainability

Modular units were delivered at our Lakewood Interim Library project this week, as reported in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.