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Design Review Program
What We Do: Gallery of Great Examples

Gallery Home | Mosler Lofts | 5th and Bell | IDX Tower | Press Building | Holly Park | Boulders | 115 Warren | 159 Denny Way | Capitol Court

159 Denny Way
159 Denny Way Overall Shot Gallery of Great Examples

  • Year Built: 2007
  • Address: 159 Denny Way
  • Architect: PB Architects
  • Developer: Ovation Partners
  • Design Review Board: Downtown
  • Design Guidelines Applied: Design Review Guidelines for Downtown Development
  • Size: seven-story building with 77 apartments, 7,300 sq ft commercial space, 76 parking stalls
  • Zoned: Downtown Mixed Commercial DMC 65'

Design Guidelines Met
The Downtown Design Review Board determined the following Design Review Guidelines for Downtown Development were the most important for the designers to address:

 

 159 Denny Way A-1 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline A-1: Respond to the physical environment.
The building's design responds to its triangular shaped, sloping site. All sides are visible and are well-proportioned. The base along Denny grows taller as it approaches the prominent western corner. The site's triangular shape also is reinforced by design details: the truncated triangular western corner uses two triangular forms, and the projecting triangular bay windows and the decks evoke the form of the site.

 

 159 Denny Way A-2 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline A-2: Enhance the skyline.
The regular modulation of the cornice line creates a good silhouette against the sky. From the street, the rooftop equipment is not visible.

 

 159 Denny Way B1 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline B-1: Respond to the neighborhood context.
The project's landscaping design at 2nd and Eagle was inspired by the landscaping design of the large, well-landscaped island at 2nd and Eagle Street.

 159 Denny Way B4 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline B-4: Design a well proportioned and unified building.
The project exhibits good proportions between the upper mass and base. The higher base is reinforced by the ending of the bay windows which do not extend too far down so as to diminish the base. The project's extended eaves are modulated to create a well-scaled three bay massing scheme. The acute corner is held back and triangular decks carry around to the corner. The triangular bay windows allow wider view angles from individual units.

 

 159 Denny Way C1 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline C-1: Promote pedestrian interaction.
The design takes advantage of the slope and commercial nature of Denny Way to provide commercial space along the street. The Eagle frontage, which is on a quieter street and faces east, is home to the residential entry, which is planted and set back to provide a favorable space to linger.

 

 159 Denny Way C5 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline C-5: Encourage overhead weather protection.
The overhead weather protection is continuous and well-designed with articulated ribs and clear glazing, but should have projected further to cover more sidewalk area and pedestrians.

 

 159 Denny Way C-6 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline C-6: Develop the alley facades.
The alley is designed to be bright, easily viewed from the building or street. The dumpsters are out of sight. The erosion of the two corners -- at 2nd and Eagle and at the alley and Eagle and the matching trellises -- reinforce each other and provide greater pedestrian comfort.

 

 159 Denny Way D2 Gallery of Great Examples

Guideline D-2: Enhance the building with landscaping.
The design created a similar landscaping area in the right-of-way to the existing triangular island landscaping. Tn addition, the design includes substantial landscaping along the curb and along the building which creates a softer, well buffered pedestrian way. The project leaves a spacious feeling for pedestrians at the corner of 2nd and Denny and 2nd and Eagle.

 

Last Updated: September 15, 2008

Join the Design Review Board
In April 2010, the Mayor and City Council will appoint twelve new volunteer Design Review Board members to replace those retiring members whose terms are expiring. Applications are due December 10, 2009 for two-year terms that begin April 4, 2010. A list of the upcoming openings is in the appendix of the Design Review Board application.

Upcoming Project Reviews
Each of the seven Design Review Boards meets twice a month. See the upcoming schedule. 

Archive

Search the archive to find design proposals and reports of project reviews.

Design Guidelines

Thirty design review guidelines for multifamily and commercial buildings--along with neighborhood-specific supplements--form the backbone of the City's Design Review Program in Seattle's neighborhoods. Separate guidelines govern downtown development.

Gallery of Great Examples

5th and Bell
See the 5th and Bell project and other great examples of projects that were developed through the Design Review process.

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