We are experiencing more client and general public awareness and willingness to consider green or sustainable approaches,” said Principal Kenichi Nakano of the last year.

“Especially in our larger community planning and design work, we are finding public clients and agencies willing to examine existing land use codes and regulations and consider alternative methods for development,” he said. “Site design, green architecture, grading, drainage, irrigation, soils and planting are all utilized to move toward a more sustainable and, better yet, a regenerative ethic.”

Nakano Associates has added four staff members in the last year to bring the size of the firm to 18.

Projects:

• Holly Park redevelopment (NewHolly), Seattle, for the Seattle Housing Authority is in its third phase, which includes about 219 rental housing units. Five proposed parks include the 2.3-acre Central Park with open playfield, market garden, P-patch garden and children’s playground.

• Rainier Vista redevelopment, also for the Seattle Housing Authority with Tonkin Hoyne Lokan, is being replatted with a new street grid to provide 1,010 new, mixed-income housing units with private yards and neighborhood open spaces. The design team plans to save more than 100 mature trees on the site.

• High Point redevelopment, designed with Mithun for Seattle Housing Authority, also preserves mature trees, creating a natural drainage system of vegetated swales and scattered subsurface detention.

• Park Lake Homes redevelopment, White Center, designed with GGLO for King County Housing Authority, combines a new 1,000-unit mixed-income residential development and community buildings with an existing 569-unit development. Through a King County demonstration ordinance, sustainable building strategies are integrated into the master plan.

• Boren Pike Pine Park, for the Seattle Parks Department, takes advantage of an expansive view and includes three urns salvaged from the old Music Hall Theater.

• International District urban design master plan, designed for Inter*Im Community Development Association, will be a guiding vision for the combined Chinatown, Nihonmachi and Little Saigon districts. It will synthesize ideas from community workshops, past plans, on-site surveys and student work.