Husky Pride at UW’s Alumni Commons

We’ve already introduced you to the graphics program in the UW’s new Alumni Commons building. Now that it has been open for a little more than a month, we want to give you a more in-depth tour of the new space.

The goal of the Commons is to celebrate “Husky Pride”—the pride felt by all those who have been involved with the University since it was founded in 1861. “Each aspect of the program speaks to something the University values, from the members of its community to the philosophies that drive its progress to the environment in which it exists,” says designer Faith Berry.

A backlit glowing gold wall in the common area features routed typographic statements of values and philosophies that the University has built upon.  A People Wall, filled with photographs and quotes of the UW community, is the focal point of the conference room. This wall highlights the personal connections people have with the University, and the impact the school has had on their lives.

To bring a piece of the surrounding environment inside, a large graphic of Mount Rainier fills a wall at the end of a long corridor, mimicking the iconic view of the mountain that’s visible from the UW quad. From afar, the graphic simply looks like a purple half-tone image of the iconic mountain. But up close, it’s clear that the image is actually composed of a series of textural W’s in UW’s brand mark.

The graphics program also includes a timeline wall, which is still in development. This wall serves as a record of specific successes in UW’s history. Its non-linear nature allows it to be easily updated to highlight future achievements.

As the University of Washington celebrates its sesquicentennial this year, the new Alumni Commons building serves as an elegant and energetic tribute to the accomplishments of the UW’s past 150 years and looks proudly toward its future.

Images taken by Ben Benschenider (click an image to view larger). 

King Street Station Plaza

Pioneer Square has a new outdoor public space: Jackson Plaza at King Street Station. At Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor McGinn, the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band, and federal and neighborhood representatives, helped dedicate the new space.

Formerly a parking lot, the new 13,500-square-foot plaza was designed by ZGF Architects and built by Sellen Construction (both of whom we’re working with on the Federal Center South project). The space features cherry trees, benches, and a ground covering made of crushed granite and marble. About 98 percent of the material used in the space is recycled, a result of the old parking lot being strategically deconstructed rather than demolished.

King Street Station, built in 1906, was once a transportation hub for the Pacific Northwest, but fell into disrepair in the latter half of the century. It’s currently undergoing a sustainable seismic retrofit and rehabilitation to improve its safety while honoring its original style.  The project is anticipated to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

 We’re eager to see the refurbished station, and in the meantime are certainly excited to have another space near our office where we can enjoy Seattle’s balmy 65-degree summer days. Be sure to check it the next time you’re in Pioneer Square!