Ships & Bridges
   Des Moines, Washington
   14 Homes & Common Areas
   Avg.: 1,700 SF Living, 200 SF Garage

Inspired by Context and Challenged by Site, a Condominium Spans the Breach
The owner's intent to develop a prominent location immediately above the Des Moines Marina had two significant obstacles: a landslide-prone embankment on which construction was largely prohibited by the city, and required site access from the east and mid-level of a likely building. The solution proposed a stout concrete and steel structure that would stabilize the bank and span the worst of the soils to create an amenity feature, turning a liability into an opportunity. Continuing this theme, the design team endeavored to take the unusual step of building stacked-flat units above the enclosed parking, and spacious townhomes below; thus requiring the parking level to double as a roof for the most valuable units in the project. The design draws upon bridge structural principals and maritime aesthetic cues, while addressing periodic weather exposure with high-rise cladding and glazing technologies. The townhomes, which were not anticipated in the original feasibility analysis, came out of the design process to give the project a unique market offering with private garden spaces and direct access to the marina.

Design by Scott Becker with Baylis Architects.