November 14, 2011

Rock Box

Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, Tim Bies Photography, MW|Works [enlarge]

Rock Box is a Japanese-style karaoke bar at 1603 Nagle Place in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The 3,100-square-foot space was designed within an existing building, with 11 private karaoke rooms, a small bar and a larger room for groups.

Three wood boxes delineate long corridors that lead into private rooms. Narrow windows reveal human activity from within.

A new entrance was designed in the alley, leaving the minimal Pine Street frontage to reveal the energy of the interior.

Switchable glazing can be transparent or translucent, and a user controlled exterior speaker gives the singers the option of entertaining pedestrians.

Rock Box received a Merit award from the American Institute of Architecture Seattle chapter, the first karaoke bar to be acknowledged by the AIA.

Owner: Rock Box, Seattle

Architect: MW|Works Architecture+Design, Seattle; Steve Mongillo, Eric Walter and Suzanne Stefan

General contractor: Dovetail Inc., Seattle

Lighting design: Lighting Designs Inc., Seattle

Structural engineer: RFA Structural Engineers, Seattle

Custom furniture fabrication: John Walter

Custom lighting fabrication: Suzanne Stefan

Do you have photos of recent projects? Share them with DJC readers. Send high-resolution images and information to lisa.lannigan@djc.com.

Previous columns:

• Lakes High School, 11-07-2011
• Navos Mental Health and Wellness Center, 10-31-2011
• Ackerman Hall, 10-24-2011
• North Seattle Community College Opportunity Center, 10-17-2011
• Gossett Place, 10-10-2011
• Zephyr at Seola Gardens, 10-03-2011
• Whatcom Middle School, 09-26-2011
• Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, 09-19-2011