This mixed-use development proposal for the Alaska Junction neighborhood is sited at the seeming apex of change in West Seattle. Commercial sites surrounding the parcel at Fauntleroy & Alaska are largely slated for high density residential redevelopment appropriate to this well-served arterial corridor, while neighboring single family owners to the north are braced to hold traditional ground and fight for respect from their increasingly urban neighbors. The 5 acre site is planned for commercial to be shared by a retail partner, with remaining space at street level ideally suited to a prominent grocery tenant. For the residential above, the unique geometry and slope of the site called for an imaginative solution to produce an interesting unit mix and solve challenging conditions for egress. As residential design consultant, our office brought ideas to the team for an activated podium above the street as a residential commons, providing a semi-private court for two towers of stacked-flats as well as a unique grouping of fee-simple homes. These rowhouses allow for participation in a four to five-story street wall with potential saleable units, while the towers containing either apartments or condos may step back and modulate the upper levels for relief to the low rise residences across the alley and beyond.

Residential Design by Fourfold Architecture as consultant to SCMA Architects