CURVe: Children's University of Washington Residence Vision
CURVe (Children’s University of Washington Residence Vision) is designed to provide an innovative model of affordable workforce housing for families and employees of Children’s Hospital and University of Washington in a new emerging district adjacent to the University of Washington in Seattle.
Conceived as three interconnected and bridged community buildings, CURVe is inspired by the robust social, civic and art history of the University District and the community’s “City within a City” movement, from the early part of the nineteenth century; a history that has all but been wiped clean by auto dealerships and parking lots.
Among the key goals of this catalyst housing project the first is to be a community convener and connector to the greater neighborhood by providing two east west public spaces between the three buildings, connecting adjacent properties to the articulated alley and to sinuous 11th Avenue. All edges of the three buildings activate the pedestrian environment at street and alley level with on grade housing, livework, community space or retail.
To provide connectivity and build community among the family of residents, vertical circulation is outwardly expressed as artist-conceived components, encouraging interaction. A green rooftop sky trail connects the three buildings via connector bridge art elements, a nod to Seattle’s physical linkages across water bodies. This maximizes the descending, south facing exposure of the site, allowing residents access to views and deep winter light.
