capitol hill tod

This transit-oriented development on Capitol Hill is an expression of decades-long planning and the efforts of many, including community groups, city agencies, public officials, and citizens dedicated to the future of their neighborhood. HEWITT designed Building A (Ander North) and Building C (Ander South).

Location

Broadway Ave and Nagle Place Seattle, WA

typology

Transit-Oriented, Mid-Rise Residential

Client

Gerding Edlen and Bentall GreenOak

status

Completed 2021

Services

Architecture

community Partnership

The Capitol Hill Transit-Oriented Development (CHTOD) was the result of several years of organizing, programming, and planning within a complex partnership between Sound Transit, city agencies, community-led advocacy groups and the development team.

The site and building design were guided by a master plan envisioned by Sound Transit, the City of Seattle, and several community groups and organizations in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Together over the course of several years, the stakeholders carefully considered the future opportunities for the heart of the neighborhood.

Plaza and Civic Heart

HEWITT was tasked with the design of two sites, both east of Broadway Ave, north and south of the station entries, and west of Cal Anderson Park. At the heart of the sites is a new plaza, surrounded by active uses. This space takes its design cues from Cal Anderson Park in the form of an oval relating to the “Waterworks,” a cone-shaped artwork and fountain nearby. The plaza is home to the weekly neighborhood farmer’s market. These notable surroundings – Broadway Ave., the rail stations, and the park – create the memorable experiences that define the neighborhood. Our goal for the buildings was to reflect and amplify these existing conditions.

Street REsponse

The concept for structures was to “pour” the buildings into the confines established through the years of planning for each of the sites. From that starting point, we subtracted out sections of the mass to highlight a series of urban design opportunities. We considered the importance of the street corners, the ability to maximize a variety of large and small retail spaces, as well as ways to activate circulation patterns from the streets, between the stations and from the park.

L04 Floor Plan

Lantern landmarks

To amplify the station’s prominence in the neighborhood and city, we considered a series of four “lanterns,” two for each structure. Made of glazed curtain wall and reflective metal, the lanterns echo qualities of the station entries. They can be used as wayfinding landmark elements, marking the location of the stations from a distance.

press

NextCity: The Future of Transit-Oriented Development Breaks Ground in Seattle
Capitol Hill Seattle Blog: 20 Years of Community Engagement Set to Pay off as Ground Breaks on Capitol Hill Station’s ‘Transit Oriented Development’
ENRNorthwest: Movement Starts on Seattle Capitol Hill Transit-Oriented Development
Why six gleaming cube ‘lanterns’ are part of Capitol Hill Station development’s new architectural relationship with Broadway