<< back
The Grass Blades 

Yesler Community Center

(Photo by Juan Hernandez and Mithun.)

Facts

Design Commission's Influence
The Design Commission believed the rebuilding of the Yesler Community Center afforded the City a great opportunity to not only to better provide recreation and community facilities for the residents of First Hill but also to be a catalyst for redeveloping the area to an urban form more suitable for a neighborhood close to downtown.

The Design Commission made several recommendations for improvement to the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department and its design team:

Overall Concept and Direction

• better define the design principles that will guide the evolution of the project's design

Urban Design and Neighborhood Fit

• develop the design to set the future direction for a much higher density neighborhood, recognizing this extremely valuable site will be a catalyst for future redevelopment
• avoid an inward looking scheme and seize the opportunity to make better connections between this community and the larger city, especially downtown and First Hill
• recognize this site is an important part of the City's Blue Ring/Open Space strategy and demonstrate how the project ties into it
• reconsider the design of the west edge as a public edge since it opens onto the end of Broadway Avenue
• create more openess along Yesler Way

Site Planning

• design the building so it fits the contours of both the neighborhood and site
• design the grading on the south in the manner that fits with the delightful terrace character of the building's massing
• further investigate how the south end of the site can be used for ecological functions
• develop the site to accomodate the views, particularly at the intersection of Yesler Way and Broadway (which should not be used as an auto-drop off)
• develop a massing concept and parking layout that maximizes public use of the site
• redesign the suburban parking scheme for an urban setting, for example, by having fewer spaces, excavating underground parking, or creating a multi-use parking lot
• reconsider the parking and plan configuratio
• save the large trees on the site

South entry terrace. (Photo by Juan Hernandez and Mithun.)

Design Refinements

• make the openings of windows in the brick wall along the front facade more generous
• reexamine the design of the east-facing street wall of the gym
• explore ways to integrate the mechanical shed more into the character of the building
• consider ways to integrate usable, flat open space with the grade change rather than having a single, large vertical wall
• design the interior gym space and childcare center to reflect that it is a place for children
• better connect the circulation and social spaces with the open spaces

Street facing windows. (Photo by Juan Hernandez and Mithun.)