The Shades of Seattle Project
The Shades of Seattle is a dual-use space structure featuring a restaurant on the lower level and two apartments on the second level, each with separate entrances. Admittedly my knowledge of restaurant design is limited, so much of my focus was on the architectural aspects of the exterior and the floor plan of the two upstairs apartments.
Having lived in the Seattle area for a short time while in the U.S. Navy, and truly enjoyed it, the idea for the exterior was to evoke some of things I remeber best about living in the Pacific Northwest. The tower in the center of the atrium of the front facade is reminiscent of a light house. Beyond the atrium you see a curtain of windows roughly like the hull of a ship. The structure itself is clad in brick with a peaked tin roof, much like a pre-World War II warehouse you would find on the docks, giving a nod to Seattle's rich Naval and seafaring history. The outdoor dining area on the rear facade is enclosed by a glass fence in the shape of the Seattle skyline. Above, the glass wall that comprises the entrance from the two apartments to their respective patios, is shaped like the silhouette of the Olympic mountains. This was done to bring to mind the view of the city as you approach it from the east; the city-scape below ringed by the mountains high above.
I hope you enjoy the design.