ARCH 600 • SPRING 2003

 

The 18th Annual Design Charrette
King Street Transportation Center
 
 
 
 

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The Annual Design Charrette offers a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary groups of students to work with distinguished professionals, academics, city officials, organizational representatives and community members to address a timely urban design issue
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Background

Seattle's South Downtown is evolving from a traditional industrial and small-scale commercial character to a vibrant, densely populated urban district centering on transportation, sports venues, significant office employment, and expanding commercial and residential elements. South Downtown is an important gateway to the city's urban core. Major elements of statewide, regional, and local roadway and public transportation elements converge here. Another emerging gateway function lies on the waterfront where refocused ferry and cruise terminals will add another transportation dimension. WSDOT is the lead agency, working in cooperation with the City of Seattle and other partners, to rehabilitate King Street Station, the terminal serving Amtrak intercity trains and Sounder commuter trains. An initial Phase One project will upgrade the railroad station. In a planned Phase Two the railroad station will become the core element of the King Street Transportation Center where intercity and regional rail and bus services, local transit (including buses, light rail, streetcar, and monorail) will be brought together in close proximity to facilitate travel for local residents and visitors. A parallel transportation development will occur a few blocks west on the waterfront where Washington State Ferries (WSF) and the Port of Seattle are exploring new projects that include both transportation elements and significant commercial development. Linking water transportation and landside transportation to form an effective network is an essential step. All of the transportation elements not only must effectively interact with one another, but also be fully integrated with other elements of the neighborhood fabric. Neighborhood goals and objectives are a key consideration for decision makers who are making infrastructure investment decisions. Local residents, landowners, business proprietors and developers are an essential part of the equation.

 

Goals
 

This year's Annual Design Charrette will create proposals for the King Street Transportation Center . The charrette will draw together key players, stakeholders, local businesses and citizens to begin defining an integrative vision for Seattle's South Downtown. By focusing on a few "sub-visions," it will explore ways to link key transportation elements at King Street Station and the waterfront with the goals and plans of the South Downtown Neighborhoods (Pioneer Square and the International District) and their resident and business constituents. While it will not provide all the answers to the redevelopment of this area, it will be an important first step in a longer term, iterative process.

 

Outcomes
 

The charrette will focus on the area north to Washington Street south to Airport Way, east to 5th Avenue, and west to Occidental Avenue South. Each of three design teams with produce a master plan and conceptual sketches that focus on one of the following areas of development:

  1. An integrated transportation center, to include the renovated King Street Station, new Greyhound Bus Terminal, and parking facilities
  2. Mixed-use residential buildings, to include loft-style condominiums and rentals that include a combination of traditional units and live-work artist units combined with retail and office space
  3. Streetscape design, to include a large public plaza and a network of streets lined with a variety of pedestrian amenities that create a unified identity
 
 
 

Learning Environment

"Charrette," meaning cart in French, was a term used in the 1800s to describe a unique type of learning experience. As the story goes, small groups of French children rode to school in the mornings aboard horse-drawn carts, working as a group on the most difficult homework problems. Since the assignment was due that day, the children had a very limited time to produce a satisfactory outcome. Completing work "en charrette" (or on the cart) required efficiency and cooperation. Whether this story is true or not, modern-day educational charrettes offer a unique opportunity for groups of students to work collaborative to address difficult problems within a limited time frame.
 
 
 
Requirements
 
The Annual Design Charrette can be undertaken as part of an assigned design studio or as an independent study for two credits. Independent study students can enroll at the graduate (Arch 600, SLN 1297) or undergraduate (Arch 499, SLN 1287) level by permission of the instructor.
 
 
Instructor
 
Sutton with Invited Team Leaders