seattle, wa project type: multifamily residential + commercial
LOT SIZE: 29,412 SF
BUILDING SIZE: 133,831 SF
LOCATION: SEATTLE, WA
PROJECT TYPE: MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL + COMMERCIAL
JANUS INSPIRATION Janus pulls its inspiration from its context. The site faces a large retail parking lot across a bustling arterial on the north, and on the south, across a narrow alley, faces quiet well maintained singlefamily homes. The goal: a building that can speak the language of two contrasting neighborhood conditions.
The interior spaces continue the clear sense of transition. The lobby, accessed from the north, has dark, raw finishes and low ambient lighting to create an elegant cave-like experience. Rise to the 2nd floor kitchen and lounge, and the environment changes to a light colored space that embraces the bright southern sun. ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
Janus is the Roman god of transitions, whose image features two faces, symbolizing change from one condition to another. PROBLEM SOLVING Simple rectilinear massing speaks to the restricted budget of this rental work-force apartment in a developing neighborhood. Materials, colors, and details create two faces of Janus. To strengthen its retail north face, Janus presents a continuous transparent retail base, with a strong horizontal form above, mirroring the scale of the Fred Meyer shopping center across the street. Smooth material surfaces, and bright accent colors with slight recesses and extrusions provide visual variety to the long building volume. The south residential face transitions to a series of vertical bays, angled slightly so as not to look directly into the private homes. Balconies, roof overhangs, textured materials, and landscaped courtyards relate to the single family character.
Janus promotes a sustainable community by increasing the density and walkability in its context of high car dependency. Transparent retail, widened landscaped sidewalks, protective continuous overhead weather protection, and a corner seating area beneath a huge sculpture adjacent to a city bikeway create a safe and lively pedestrian environment for walking and biking. If you must use a car, electric vehicle charging stations are provided to promote oil free vehicles SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Alleys, such as the Hutongs of Beijing, can be used to promote neighborhood communication and cohesion. Janus provides a human face to the alley, not a backside. An IPE wood screen of random spaced boards provides both privacy and transparency, sharing its private outdoor space visually with its neighbors and encouraging use of the alley for more than vehicles. At nearly 30’ tall, Perseus II serves as a portal marking the neighborhood transition from residential to retail – a landmark and gathering place for the entire community.
JANUS: In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past (wikipedia).
1ST AVE NW
shopping center parking lot NW 85TH ST alley quiet single family homes NW 84TH ST
Loud, fast traffic, truck and bus lanes, no parking allowed.
Slow traffic, bike and pedestrian friendly, parking allowed.
SITE
N
VICINITY
VIEW NORTH OF JANUS
NORTHERN/COMMERCIAL FACE OF JANUS Janus mirrors the long horizontality of the Fred Meyers across the street, further referencing the commercial character with smooth surfaces and a bar-code like pattern of grays.
COMMERCIAL FACE
HOUSES SOUTH OF JANUS
SOUTHERN/RESIDENTIAL FACE OF JANUS
Vertical bays, textured materials, roof overhangs, and landscaped courtyards relate to the single family homes on the south side of Janus.
RESIDENTIAL FACE
2
11
5 5
88
44 6 3 4
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
N
SITE PLAN/ LEVEL 1 1 2 3 4
Leasing Office Lobby/ Common Area Fitness Bike Storage
5 6 7 8
Retail Retail Parking Retail Patio Ramp to Residential Parking
78
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
4
2
1 3
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
LEVEL 2: COMMON AREAS AND RESDIENTAL UNITS 1 Common Area Kitchen 2 Common Area Living
3 Outdoor Common Area 4 Elevator Lobby
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
LEVELS 3-5: RESIDENTAL UNITS
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
SECTION LOOKING EAST Lobby + Common Area Fitness Common Kitchen/Lounge Space Common Outdoor Area Residential Parking Elevator Lobby
COMMERCIAL FACE
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE 4
3
6
2
5
5
6 1
L1 LOBBY + COMMON AREAS
3
4
L2 COMMON AREAS
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
1
COMMERCIAL FACE
1 2 3 4 5 6
LOBBY - NORTH/COMMERICAL FACE
KITCHEN & LOUNGE - SOUTH/RESIDENTIAL FACE
ARTWORK The artwork throughout the building plays on the ideas of thresholds, passageways, and portals as a way to continue the theme of Janus and provide unique settings for its visitors and residents.
PERSEUS II
Art Thresholds
SUNAJ
CORNER 2 BED UNIT
TYPICAL 1 BEDROOM UNIT 1 2 3 4 5 6
Living Room Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Closet Balcony
6 4 5
3
1 2
BUILDING SIZE: 133,831 SF
LOCATION: SEATTLE, WA
PROJECT TYPE: MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL + COMMERCIAL
JANUS INSPIRATION Janus pulls its inspiration from its context. The site faces a large retail parking lot across a bustling arterial on the north, and on the south, across a narrow alley, faces quiet well maintained singlefamily homes. The goal: a building that can speak the language of two contrasting neighborhood conditions.
The interior spaces continue the clear sense of transition. The lobby, accessed from the north, has dark, raw finishes and low ambient lighting to create an elegant cave-like experience. Rise to the 2nd floor kitchen and lounge, and the environment changes to a light colored space that embraces the bright southern sun. ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
Janus is the Roman god of transitions, whose image features two faces, symbolizing change from one condition to another. PROBLEM SOLVING Simple rectilinear massing speaks to the restricted budget of this rental work-force apartment in a developing neighborhood. Materials, colors, and details create two faces of Janus. To strengthen its retail north face, Janus presents a continuous transparent retail base, with a strong horizontal form above, mirroring the scale of the Fred Meyer shopping center across the street. Smooth material surfaces, and bright accent colors with slight recesses and extrusions provide visual variety to the long building volume. The south residential face transitions to a series of vertical bays, angled slightly so as not to look directly into the private homes. Balconies, roof overhangs, textured materials, and landscaped courtyards relate to the single family character.
Janus promotes a sustainable community by increasing the density and walkability in its context of high car dependency. Transparent retail, widened landscaped sidewalks, protective continuous overhead weather protection, and a corner seating area beneath a huge sculpture adjacent to a city bikeway create a safe and lively pedestrian environment for walking and biking. If you must use a car, electric vehicle charging stations are provided to promote oil free vehicles SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION Alleys, such as the Hutongs of Beijing, can be used to promote neighborhood communication and cohesion. Janus provides a human face to the alley, not a backside. An IPE wood screen of random spaced boards provides both privacy and transparency, sharing its private outdoor space visually with its neighbors and encouraging use of the alley for more than vehicles. At nearly 30’ tall, Perseus II serves as a portal marking the neighborhood transition from residential to retail – a landmark and gathering place for the entire community.
JANUS: In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past (wikipedia).
1ST AVE NW
shopping center parking lot NW 85TH ST alley quiet single family homes NW 84TH ST
Loud, fast traffic, truck and bus lanes, no parking allowed.
Slow traffic, bike and pedestrian friendly, parking allowed.
SITE
N
VICINITY
VIEW NORTH OF JANUS
NORTHERN/COMMERCIAL FACE OF JANUS Janus mirrors the long horizontality of the Fred Meyers across the street, further referencing the commercial character with smooth surfaces and a bar-code like pattern of grays.
COMMERCIAL FACE
HOUSES SOUTH OF JANUS
SOUTHERN/RESIDENTIAL FACE OF JANUS
Vertical bays, textured materials, roof overhangs, and landscaped courtyards relate to the single family homes on the south side of Janus.
RESIDENTIAL FACE
2
11
5 5
88
44 6 3 4
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
N
SITE PLAN/ LEVEL 1 1 2 3 4
Leasing Office Lobby/ Common Area Fitness Bike Storage
5 6 7 8
Retail Retail Parking Retail Patio Ramp to Residential Parking
78
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
4
2
1 3
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
LEVEL 2: COMMON AREAS AND RESDIENTAL UNITS 1 Common Area Kitchen 2 Common Area Living
3 Outdoor Common Area 4 Elevator Lobby
BICYCLE GREENWAY FACE
COMMERCIAL FACE
LEVELS 3-5: RESIDENTAL UNITS
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
SECTION LOOKING EAST Lobby + Common Area Fitness Common Kitchen/Lounge Space Common Outdoor Area Residential Parking Elevator Lobby
COMMERCIAL FACE
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE 4
3
6
2
5
5
6 1
L1 LOBBY + COMMON AREAS
3
4
L2 COMMON AREAS
RESIDENTIAL ALLEY FACE
1
COMMERCIAL FACE
1 2 3 4 5 6
LOBBY - NORTH/COMMERICAL FACE
KITCHEN & LOUNGE - SOUTH/RESIDENTIAL FACE
ARTWORK The artwork throughout the building plays on the ideas of thresholds, passageways, and portals as a way to continue the theme of Janus and provide unique settings for its visitors and residents.
PERSEUS II
Art Thresholds
SUNAJ
CORNER 2 BED UNIT
TYPICAL 1 BEDROOM UNIT 1 2 3 4 5 6
Living Room Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Closet Balcony
6 4 5
3
1 2
