July 2, 2021

Local projects win Gold Nugget Awards

Photo by William Wright Photography [enlarge]

SMR Architects designed Arlington Drive Youth Campus in Tacoma.

Photo by Moris Moreno, courtesy of Runberg Architecture Group [enlarge]

Runberg Architecture Group designed Jackson apartments in Seattle’s Central area neighborhood.

A number of Puget Sound developments recently were honored in the 2021 PCBC Gold Nugget Awards, which recognize projects that improve communities through exceptional concepts in design, planning and development.

Winners this year were chosen from 596 entries.

The following projects won grand awards:

• Jackson at 2401 S. Jackson St. in Seattle's Central area neighborhood won in the categories of best multifamily housing community – 100 units per acre or more, and multifamily community of the year – four stories and above. Vulcan Real Estate developed and Runberg Architecture Group designed the project, which has 532 apartments, retail and a 25,000-square-foot Amazon Fresh.

Judges said they were “taken in with the design's intentionality, its cadence of small zones to expansive sweep of inclusiveness and intimacy, throughout the circulatory exterior and in interior spaces.” The project includes 107 units reserved for people whose incomes fall between 65% to 90% of area median income, which the judges called a “missing middle” offering. The site has landscaped open space, including a 12,000-square-foot public plaza and a mid-block open space aligned with a previously vacated street right-of-way, Runberg said in press materials.

The project is targeting LEED Platinum certification and Salmon Safe certification.

The team includes Exxel Pacific, builder; Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil; Hewitt, landscape designer; Vida Design, interior designer; Ecotope, mechanical; Rushing, electrical; JRS Engineering, building envelope; A3 Acoustics, acoustics; and O'Brien360, sustainability consultant.

• Arlington Drive Youth Campus in Tacoma won in the best supportive/transitional housing category. Tacoma Housing Authority developed and SMR Architects designed the campus for homeless youth and young adults. The judges called it a superior example of how housing can be combined with supportive services at a large scale and be a solution for young people in crisis. With design input from young adults, the 12-bed crisis center and accompanying 58-unit apartment building includes family-style and demonstration kitchens, dining areas, work/study areas, laundry facilities and thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor amenity areas, the judges said.

The team includes Korsmo Construction, builder; The West Studio, landscape design; MIG | SvR, civil; PCS Structural Solutions, structural; Travis Fitzmaurice Wartelle Balangue Engineers, electrical; and Sider + Byers Associates, mechanical.

• Solis, a 45-unit apartment development at 1300 E. Pike St. in Seattle, won in the multifamily/best design for energy efficiency category. Weber Thompson is the architect, landscape designer and interior designer on Solis, a seven-story building which also has retail space.

According to the architect's website, Solis is the largest multifamily Passive House project in Washington. The judges said it achieves dramatic reductions in energy use – 50% below the U.S. multifamily median and scoring a perfect EnergyStar 100 – for a mere 5% above conventional construction (cost) by using conventional materials in innovative ways including pairing an enhanced building enclosure with a top-notch mechanical system for exceptionally comfortable and healthy units.

SolTerra is the developer and Cascade Built the builder. Decker Consulting Engineers is the civil engineer.

• WesternCedar, a 185-unit multifamily project planned for 2616 Western Ave. in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood, won in the best on-the-boards multifamily community (100 units per acre or more) category. The project is participating in Seattle's Living Building Pilot program. The judges lauded the integration of indoor/outdoor space and landscaped bioswale along the building edge that will bring daylight and nature into the lobby, the faceted angles of the building along Cedar Street oriented to capture views and the optimal solar orientation.

Saratoga Capital is the developer and GGLO is the architect, landscape designer and interior designer. The team includes KPFF Consulting Engineers, civil, and Exxel Pacific, builder.

These projects won merit awards:

• Liberty Bank Building in Seattle won for best affordable housing community (60 units per acre or more). The developer is Community Roots Housing in partnership with Africatown Community Land Trust. The team also includes Mithun, architect, landscape designer and interior designer; Walsh Construction Co., builder; and Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil.

• Aspen Terrace apartments in Seattle won for best supportive/transitional housing. The team includes Pioneer Human Services, developer; SMR Architects, architect; Walsh Construction Co., builder; Bellwether Housing, development consultant; Fazio Associates, landscape design; Sitewise Design, civil; Michael Nouwens Structural Consultants, structural; Travis Fitzmaurice Wartelle Balangue Engineers, electrical; Sider + Byers Associates, mechanical; 4EA Building Science, envelope consultant; and Sazan Environmental Services, commissioning agent.

• 207 East in Edgewood won for best multifamily housing community (15-30 units per acre). The team includes The Wolff Co., developer, and Katerra, architect, interior designer and builder.

• The FlyWay in Kenmore won for best multifamily housing community (30-60 units per acre.) The team includes MainStreet Property Group, developer; Dahlin Group Architecture Planning, architect; Blueline, landscape design and civil; and Lisa Wiggins Design, interior design.

• The Postmark in Shoreline won for best multifamily housing community (100 units per acre or more). The team includes The Wolff Co., developer, and Katerra, architect, interior designer and builder.

• The Hemlock in Seattle won for best on-the-boards multifamily community (100 units per acre or more). The team includes Washington Holdings, developer; GGLO, architect and landscape designer; W.G. Clark, builder; and Coughlin Porter Lundeen, civil.

• Revel Issaquah in Issaquah won for best service enriched senior community — independent living/assisted living/memory care. The team includes The Wolff Co., developer; VIA Architecture, architect; Exxel Pacific, builder; and Private Label International, interior designer.

• Trilogy at Tehaleh - Freedom Collection - Venture Plan 1404 in Bonney Lake won for best single-family detached home (1,800 to 2,499 square feet). The team includes Newland Communities, developer; Howard Englander, architect; Shea Homes, Active Lifestyle Communities, builder; Puget Sound Landscape, landscape designer; and Trio Designs, interior designer.