Miller|Hull is working, as the prime consultant, in collaboration with Public
Architecture of San Francisco, to provide an administration and technology drop-in
center for the Technology Access
Foundation (TAF). TAF is a non-profit foundation with a mission “to prepare
underserved students of color for success in a technology-driven world by providing
technology and life skills training”. Public Architecture is the founder of
the “1% solution” program, bringing pro bono practice to architecture.
The combined team has mutual core values in working toward the public good and providing
strong community design.
The project consists of a 23,000 gsf administration and technology drop-in center to be located in the White Center neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The site is in the Northeast corner of the Lakewood Park, a King County Park, and is conveniently bordered by multi-family and single family residences with easy access on foot, by bicycle, or bus. The facility will provide education outreach and act as a community center to the surrounding neighborhood. The building design and form will respond to this community aspect as well as environmental conditions. Both the client and the design team are striving to create an efficient and sustainable building, taking cues from technology as well as the local climate and environment.
The project consists of a 23,000 gsf administration and technology drop-in center to be located in the White Center neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The site is in the Northeast corner of the Lakewood Park, a King County Park, and is conveniently bordered by multi-family and single family residences with easy access on foot, by bicycle, or bus. The facility will provide education outreach and act as a community center to the surrounding neighborhood. The building design and form will respond to this community aspect as well as environmental conditions. Both the client and the design team are striving to create an efficient and sustainable building, taking cues from technology as well as the local climate and environment.
Salvage Materials:
Early in the design process the design team identified a strong desire to utilize salvaged materials in new and unexpected ways, both as a method of reducing costs while rescuing material from the landfill, and as a method for bringing in physical elements from the community as in-kind donations of objects and labor. These object are to be used for enclosure, exterior cladding, interior finishes, and one-of-a-kind art installations. Because these salvaged materials are to be integral to the building envelope, finishes, experience, etc. they had to be defined during the design process so they wouldn’t become just tacked on objects. To achieve this, the design team developed a “Narrative Approach” to sourcing this salvaged material. First, areas on the building where salvaged materials were a possibility were identified. As the design team moved forward they began to describe these materials experientially and abstractly based upon a wish list of design experiences they wished to create. These experiential descriptions along with the sketches and preliminary possibilities were distilled into a “salvage material narrative” that describes each material in a loose, collage format. Ultimately these narratives will be used to visualize, understand, and source appropriate salvaged material.
Early in the design process the design team identified a strong desire to utilize salvaged materials in new and unexpected ways, both as a method of reducing costs while rescuing material from the landfill, and as a method for bringing in physical elements from the community as in-kind donations of objects and labor. These object are to be used for enclosure, exterior cladding, interior finishes, and one-of-a-kind art installations. Because these salvaged materials are to be integral to the building envelope, finishes, experience, etc. they had to be defined during the design process so they wouldn’t become just tacked on objects. To achieve this, the design team developed a “Narrative Approach” to sourcing this salvaged material. First, areas on the building where salvaged materials were a possibility were identified. As the design team moved forward they began to describe these materials experientially and abstractly based upon a wish list of design experiences they wished to create. These experiential descriptions along with the sketches and preliminary possibilities were distilled into a “salvage material narrative” that describes each material in a loose, collage format. Ultimately these narratives will be used to visualize, understand, and source appropriate salvaged material.
