October 17, 2011

North Seattle Community College Opportunity Center

Photos by Lara Swimmer [enlarge]

The Opportunity Center for Employment and Education combines a variety of services in a central location at North Seattle Community College.

The $14 million, 47,500-square-foot building is at North 95th Street and College Way North. Construction took less than two years.

Several agencies — including the Department of Social and Health Services, WorkSource Affiliate North Seattle and the college — share resources.

The building is an expansion of a 1970s post-tensioned concrete structure. The lightweight glass and steel addition hovers over the existing concrete building. Extensive glass brings daylight into the building and provides a level of transparency between the public and the agencies within.

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The information commons is in the entry, and a two-story atrium connects the building. Offices, conference rooms and classrooms are located throughout, and agencies share open office areas and conference rooms.

The center uses 18 percent less energy than comparable facilities. An under-floor air distribution system boosts energy-efficiency. A green roof and two rain gardens filter stormwater runoff.

The project received LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Owner: North Seattle Community College

Architect: Schacht Aslani Architects, Seattle

General contractor: Graham Contracting, Seattle

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Structural, civil engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Seattle

Mechanical engineer: WSP Flack + Kurtz, Seattle

Electrical engineer: Travis Fitzmaurice & Associates, Seattle

Landscape design: Nakano Associates, Seattle

Sustainability: O'Brien & Co., Seattle

Geotechnical: Associated Earth Sciences, Kirkland

Acoustical design: BRC Acoustics & Technology Consulting, Seattle

Lighting design: Cierra Electrical Group, Seattle

Signage design: WPA, Seattle

Cost control: Davis Langdon and Associates, Seattle

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:

• 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
• Kids Discovery Museum, 09-12-2011
• St. Elizabeth Hospital, 09-06-2011
• Institute for Systems Biology, 08-29-2011
• Sammamish Library, 08-22-2011