An innovative partnership between nonprofits Bellwether Housing and Plymouth Housing has brought 365 much-needed affordable housing units to Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. The firms leveraged partnerships across multiple sectors of government, business, and nonprofits to create the first affordable high-rise in the city in over five decades. Once slated as a light-rail station, the Sound Transit site sat vacant for years and was transferred to the nonprofits at no cost.
The building comprises two distinct projects: The Rise on Madison and Blake House. The Rise on Madison offers 250 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for low- to moderate-income households, while Blake House provides 112 studios for formerly homeless seniors and veterans and three units for live-in support staff. Architect Weber Thompson focused on three guiding design themes: home, placemaking, and lightness. Details include a basket-weave brick pattern that adds texture and visually grounds the site; ground-level color variations and vibrant murals at the two distinct entries; and the interlocking design of the brick base and towering window wall system that increases daylighting benefits.
Project Details
Award: Merit
Category: Affordable Housing
Architect: Weber Thompson
Developers: Bellwether Housing and Plymouth Housing
Builder: Turner Construction Co.
Location: Seattle
Size: 263,000 square feet
