Site Design for an Apartment Building
1819 Exterior Refresh
A Pacific Northwest Modern update to an ’80s-era apartment complex.
There is plenty of ’80s-era multi-family building stock in Seattle, and a fair share of it is ready for a bit of a refresh. For this one, our site design and architecture studios teamed up to give the exterior of this building a Pacific Northwest Modern update.
Constructed in two phases, the first entailed new fencing, decks, and a fresh paint job. Later, phase two transformed the front with new stairs, planting, and entry ramps flanked by steel-clad retaining walls.
The design reuses the existing dry stack retaining wall material, but by cladding them with the weathered steel, they now have that desirable, clean-lines-yet-rustic look that will weather nicely. Laser-cut street numbers are lit from behind, giving the street presence a small dose of extra warmth and visibility. Finally, as they grow in, landscaped beds along the ramp will overflow with lush green plants, softening the look and providing that last dose of Pacific Northwest feel.
Accent Fencing
The addition of a tall, polished-wood fence with horizontal planks brings a sense of privacy to the complex, separating it from the street and providing a pop of natural, earthy color. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Accent Fencing
The addition of a tall, polished-wood fence with horizontal planks brings a sense of privacy to the complex, separating it from the street and providing a pop of natural, earthy color. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Rising Ramps
The raised ramps are surrounded by luscious greenery that will grow thicker each year, bringing a forested feel to this urban complex. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Rising Ramps
The raised ramps are surrounded by luscious greenery that will grow thicker each year, bringing a forested feel to this urban complex. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Color Refresh
To introduce a more modern feel to this previously-dated design, we chose natural colors that are commonly found throughout the environment of the Pacific Northwest, such as the wood of the fence and the moody, grayish-blue of the building paint, reminiscent of a stormy Seattle sky. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Color Refresh
To introduce a more modern feel to this previously-dated design, we chose natural colors that are commonly found throughout the environment of the Pacific Northwest, such as the wood of the fence and the moody, grayish-blue of the building paint, reminiscent of a stormy Seattle sky. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
In the Details
Laser-cut street numbers are illuminated by a warm, amber-colored light that attracts the eye and provides the familiar feeling of glowing porch light. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
In the Details
Laser-cut street numbers are illuminated by a warm, amber-colored light that attracts the eye and provides the familiar feeling of glowing porch light. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Refreshed Retainer Walls
The original retainer walls were kept intact, but clad with weathered steel to bring a more modern, refined-yet-rustic appeal that blends seamlessly into the blue-grey tone of the building. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Refreshed Retainer Walls
The original retainer walls were kept intact, but clad with weathered steel to bring a more modern, refined-yet-rustic appeal that blends seamlessly into the blue-grey tone of the building. 1819 Exterior Refresh | Photo by Meghan Montgomery.
Notes & Credits
Phase 1 (wood fencing) by Tradecraft Builders.
Phase 2 (steel wall and planting) by CEM Landscape.
Photography by Meghan Montgomery.
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Our design services encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with teams specializing in projects across the spectrum, from single-family homes to multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and from boutique commercial spaces to civic spaces, like parks. We love designing the integrated fabric of structures, spaces, and places that create vibrant neighborhoods.
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