Archive

The Seattle Architecture Foundation's 25th Annual Model Exhibit, JUNCTION, celebrated the creativity of local and international design firms. Each year, the exhibit displays physical and digital models, architectural renderings, and a variety of other displays that represent the design process. Through this exhibit architectural projects and the tools used to develop them take center stage and connect audiences to the process of architectural design Read More

Diversity by Design: Equity in Architecture showcases seven Northwest Regional projects submitted to Diversity Roundtable’s open call to celebrate the work of underrepresented designers. Despite people of color making up a majority of early career unlicensed designers, only a small percentage of licensed architects are people of color. Additionally, people of color are consistently unrepresented in leadership roles. Diversity by Design offers an oppor Read More

2021 was a year of aspiration. Emerging from COVID lockdown, we were ready to take a deep breath and consider our future. Aspiration means ambition and the act of breathing in. SAF’s 24th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit theme Breathe was meant to inspire submissions that reflect on this dual meaning: faced with the passing of an immediate crisis, how will we pause and rethink our world? When we do exhale, what new forms will we breathe into life?&nbs Read More

Seattle's historic structures, among them many unreinforced masonry buildings, are at risk not only from the numerous seismic faults in the Pacific Northwest, but also from economic factors. Many at-risk buildings continue to have vibrant life in Seattle communities, but have found it challenging to retrofit for earthquake safety. It will take technology, expertise, policy, and social impetus for Seattle to preserve its multi-faceted urban fabric while Read More

2020 marked a turning point that we had not imagined. As the Seattle Design Festival prepared for its tenth year, the landscape had changed. SDF2020's theme, About Time, sought to ponder past, present, and future at a unique moment of transition for the city, the region and the world. Instead, it confronted the reality of a global public health crisis and its profound impact on our daily lives. Containment became a necessity. Social distancing had Read More

Proactive Practice examined how architects self-initiate projects to nurture vibrant and adaptive communities. As speculative development and fast-paced growth transform urban space, architects must not be complacent in service to the market economy. How can we practice architecture as caretakers for our communities and reclaim an active role in the production of space?Through the lens of five architects’ practices and their progressive work, differe Read More

How does technology influence our urban experience? Whether we like it or not, technology is deeply rooted in our everyday lives. As emerging technologies continue to evolve, and our cities morph and adapt, the relationship between technology and our urban environments grows more complex. Balancing Act explores the notion of balance by posing a series of questions about how we can focus emerging technologies towards the human experience and develop bes Read More

Achieving and maintaining balance is essential for the well-being of our planet, our society, and ourselves. Our natural world provides the model: vast ecosystems that have evolved over millions of years to create symbiotic relationships that are in balance. Yet our world right now is fundamentally out of balance. Human needs and desires relentlessly compete with the needs of natural systems. Whether we are weighing the impact of our daily decisions o Read More

City systems operate similarly to people. Much of the day is concerned with utilitarian, functional, and obvious needs. Budgets are allocated to potholes and traffic alleviation like paying rent and filling a pantry with groceries. The blueprint for the average city is largely shaped more by cost, regiment, and efficiency than whimsy and humanity. When moments of delight do exist, art is often corralled into commercial spaces such as advertisements or lim Read More

Designers are always responding to their environments, by embracing natural phenomena or seeking to work around them. The influence of our natural environment on Pacific Northwest design has always been strong, from materials choices to form and function.  A new exhibit at the Center for Architecture & Design explores the most ubiquitous Northwest condition of all: Rain.  As the recipient of this year’s Emerging Professionals Travel Sch Read More

Our world is witnessing a time of record migration and displacement. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, there are now more than 60 million forcibly displaced people worldwide as the result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Cities around the world are on the front lines of this global crisis. As the number of urban displaced persons increases, so does our moral imperative to welcome and embra Read More

Trust is a foundational principle of a thriving society. Relationships and systems built on trust enable the exchange of commerce and innovation, provide safety and dignity to all, and encourage vigorous civic participation. We trust our systems and institutions to be consistent, transparent, and strong. We trust that the news we hear is accurate and unbiased; that the schools, bridges, and buildings we use every day are sound; and that our leaders make de Read More

Summer in the Pacific Northwest is time to lace up hiking boots and head for the nearest trail or park to enjoy the sun and experience the tranquility of the great outdoors. We are fortunate to live in a region surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. Wild Tensions: How Design Impacts the Outdoor Experience explored the inherent tensions between our pursuit of the wilderness experiences that are so integral to our Pacific Northwest identity and the Read More

Our world is calling out for the service of architects and designers. Housing affordability, social isolation, climate change, equal access to education, health and aging—the list of grand challenges that design can impact is endless. Seattle architects and designers have long embraced this higher calling, whether through pro bono service, volunteer work, or embedding social and environmental responsibility in design practice. AIA Seattle and the Center Read More

Recent headlines point to the seismic modal shift underway in Seattle transportation. Bike and car sharing, electric vehicles, expanded light rail and driverless cars are opening a world of choices to Seattle residents who used to be solely reliant on their own automobiles. The average US city devotes between 30% and 40% of its surface area to roads and parking, compared to less than 5% for parks. Prioritizing cars impacts everything from health and saf Read More

In a time of intense cultural and social change in Seattle and across the country, architects and designers are challenged to explore the ways in which their work intersects with the growth of grassroots and community movements, the changing conceptions of what cities can be and do, and renewed interest in formerly neglected places, spaces, and ideas. As we step back and reflect on our values, as individuals and as a community, we must reassert our commitm Read More

Summer in the Pacific Northwest – time to play! The Center for Architecture & Design celebrated summer by considering how designers create places for both kids and adults to play through the exhibit, Extraordinary Playscapes. Today, outdoor play faces tough competition—from electronics, over-scheduling, declining recess time, and lack of access to safe play spaces. Additionally, safety and liability concerns overshadow the conversation around play Read More

Community members all across our country are actively engaged in preserving the places they love. Historical spaces are part of our history and culture and create a unique sense of place that is important to our city’s identity. Through our Community by Design: Main Streets in a Changing America exhibit, we invited the public to be inspired by communities that have been successful in preserving the places they love. Presented by the Seattle Architect Read More

Our region is uniquely poised to lead the conversation about the intersection of technological advancement and the built environment. As a tech hub, we boast some of the world’s leading innovators in realms like big data, systems thinking, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. As a thriving and progressive design community we have demonstrated a deep commitment to better, more sustainable buildings and a willingness to explore and invent. Read More

Design has a powerful influence on how we access and experience everyday environments. This is particularly true for the 20% of us living with a temporary or permanent disability. Designers in the Pacific Northwest have made tremendous strides in creative problem-solving around accessibility, from rethinking home design to inventing enabling technologies. Human-centered design is a tool for unlocking human potential. Inclusive design expands our opportunit Read More

Design Change proposes that design can maximize the public benefits of change, while empowering those communities most impacted by change. In Seattle, a place experiencing tremendous change, this year's Seattle Design Festival programs and exhibits, at the Center and throughout the city, investigated and celebrated the role of design in an evolving place. Read More

Seattle has a boom and bust history, with industry and commerce often serving as key drivers in our city’s development. In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century the Alaskan Yukon Gold Rush and logging industry stimulated major growth. Today, the rise of bio-tech, technology and e-commerce are greatly impacting Seattle and its neighborhoods. Exhibits and programs during this theme reflect on how we’ve navigated change over time and consider the Read More

Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, expected to welcome many thousands of new neighbors over the next 20 years.  With them come jobs, ideas, energy - but also the need for a place to live. The City of Seattle has committed to 50,000 new housing units in Seattle in the next 10 years. People move here because they are attracted by our livable neighborhoods, our strong communities, and our remarkable natural environment.  Howe Read More

Design influences health and well-being through the places we live and work, the way we move around the city, the food we eat, and the connections we make with others in our community. Exhibits and programs on Active Design explore the connection between environmental design and our physical, mental, and social well-being, and consider design’s potential to positively impact healthy lives, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. Read More