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The construction site at 12th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street will soon be a seven-story office building developed by Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU). The 66,747-square-foot facility will contain a WSECU branch and retail tenants in addition to some office space, and, according to SKB Architects, who led both the architecture and interior design, it was designed with a pedestrian experience in mind.
“Sensitivity to pedestrians—scale, texture, materials, transparency, and public amenities—drove the design.” said Brian Collins-Friedrichs, co-founder of SkB Architects and principal-in-charge for the project, in a statement. “We wanted to create a building that feels a part of its neighborhood and that also provides a signature identity for WSECU.”
That ended up taking shape in wide sidewalks around the building and a facade that combines a dynamic facade with a six-story, glass-dominated opening at the corner. Collins-Friedrichs said the idea was to “take the street-level engagement and tip it up vertically.”
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Portions of the first and second floors are pulled back too, offering weather protection as people enter the retail portion.
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Throughout the rest of the building, deep-set windows call back to the corner, and brick details nod to the surrounding environment—both the directly neighboring buildings and the University of Washington.
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Inside, a semi-public shared lobby creates what SKB calls a “living room.” The retail area will also contain a community room available for public use.
Leased office space will have a separate entrance from the retail lobby, and benefit from an offset-core design that allows for more natural light and open office space.
The estimated completion date for the building is fall 2018.