Framework Cultural Placemaking

Love being out at summer events. We were at Wing Luke's Jamfest to talk about the potential of this site on Canton Alley.

Our office doubles as a bike repair shop sometimes

Getting a flat tire on your way to your first day at an internship is not great, but having coworkers who can help you fix it is!! This week we welcomed Emily to our team as a Designer and Planner, and Katherine as a summer intern. We love our team!

So much to learn! Lesley is taking the WSU Forest Stewardship class and spent the long weekend on a field trip learning about ways to determine tree health.

Seattle Central Library was built in 2004, standing 11 stories in glass and steel with the capacity to hold 1.5 million books. On the day we visited, light poured into rooms full of people reading, using computers, and hosting events. As Seattle Public Library (SPL) grapples with 8 weeks of closures, we’ve been thinking about the importance of beautiful public spaces.

The Central Library is full of bold design choices. Enter on 4th street and you’ll see text embedded into the maple floorboards, inverted like letterforms used for printing. Make your way to the 4th floor and you’ll experience Red Hall’s 12 shades of red, which cover the curvy floors, walls, and ceilings. The unique impact of this space has landed the library on lists of “must see” Seattle travel destinations. For those who visit on a regular basis, its design serves to infuse beauty into everyday quests for knowledge, resources, and community connections.

On April 11th, Seattle Public Library (SPL) announced 180 days of library, citing staffing shortages. This comes after Mayor Harrel’s hiring freeze, aimed at balancing the City’s budget deficit. While SPL has the green light to hire temporary staff members in the next 8 weeks, there is uncertainty around whether Seattle’s libraries will be able to return to normal service hours come June 2.

Library advocates hope that the City will ensure adequate funding and staffing to allow all branches to operate. One person who spoke to City Council on March 12th cautioned that “when libraries close, the community loses a place to turn for learning, joy, safety, and connection with each other.” While Central Library’s hours have not been on the chopping block during this round of closures, it serves as an emblem of the vital nature of beautiful public space and community resources.

If you feel passionate about keeping libraries open, check out Seattle’s Public Library Action Network or Friends of the Seattle Public Library to get involved!

Having an office in Capitol Hill means we pass by this mural often. The second collaboration between development firm and artist , this 75 feet tall mural is a vibrant nod to the building’s sustainable design. Named Solis, the apartment was designed by and built in 2020 with a goal of achieving a 70% reduction in energy use in its heating and cooling needs. Now a certified Passive House, Solis is currently the largest multifamily building in Washington to hold this certification.

The mural’s subject represents the sun, the center of the universe. Representing the stars, the string of lights she holds light up at night, adding a magical touch to the neighborhoods evening streetscape. While the connection between the mural’s motifs and the building’s design may go unnoticed by most, the impact it has on the neighborhood certainly does not.

Hard not to wax poetic about parks as clouds start to part and soggy lawns get dry enough to put a picnic blanket down. When it comes to summer in Seattle, parks bring some real main character energy. After having two parks plans adopted this year (in Milton and Buckley!) we’ve been thinking a lot about how cities can realize their visions for parks that bring people together, provide opportunities for exercise and play, and contribute to the ecological health of the region.

We’re talking about money—it costs a lot to operate parks and even more to build new ones. When we talk about parks planning, we’re talking about making sure the parks grows to accomodate growth in population - that means expanding the capacity of sport leagues, accomodate more cyclists on trails, and creating new park typologies that respond to the needs of the many communities that exist within cities.

This month on the blog, we’re looking at the different ways that cities in Washington can fund their parks. From levies to impact fees, grant funding to fundrasing by “friends of” groups, cities have several tools at their disposal to make their recreation dreams a reality, and the strategies they choose can shape what gets built and who it benefits. Check out the link our bio for this month’s article where we break down parking funding for Washington cities.

Victoria has been prioritizing bicycle infrastructure for the past few years and it’s really starting to show!

Throughout the city there are several new protected bike lanes that help separate walking from rolling, and the City has done a nice job of integrating bike racks and bus stops into their concrete mediums. They’re also not afraid to use bollards to limit cars at certain intersections, while allowing bicycles to go through.

Throughout the neighborhoods there can be seen tactical art, educational signage, and wayfinding that expresses neighborhood character and regional history. Not a bad place to cruise around if you ask us!

Last year we teamed up with SMR Architects and AHBL for a competition to design a community masterplan for 100s of addordable housing units just outside Sunnyside, Washington. Our team was thrilled to be selected for the project, and are now in the process of public engagement and design for a plan for Catholic Housing Services that will include opportunities for first time homeownership as well as shorter term multifamily rental housing for farm workers and their families.

Here are some of the diagrams we used in our presentation, which communicate our initial design concept:
1. Activate with programs.
2. Provide a variety of housing options & create community.
3. Connect to activities.
4. Establish a civic spine.
5. Celebrate the water.
6. Define with edges.