South Lake Union Discovery Center
Seattle, Wash.
The Miller|Hull Partnership

Mobile building celebrates a specific neighborhood—for now

	Index | Project Specs
	Click here for slide show. Photo © Lara Swimmer

Originally built as a sales center for Vulcan, a real estate firm developing the South Lake Union district of Seattle, the Discovery Center now serves as a meeting hall and small museum where neighborhood residents and visitors can learn about the community as well as plans for its future growth. But given this building's unique design, it could one day revert to its original function, albeit in a completely new place—the Discovery Center is comprised of modules that can be disassembled and moved. This building celebrates a specific place that, paradoxically, could be any place.

Sited on the edge of an urban park, the building sits lightly on the land, suspended above the gently sloping terrain on short concrete piers. Its edges are cantilevered, allowing the grade and vegetation to grow uninterrupted beneath. Fulfilling a primary program requirement, the building is composed of four smaller sections that can be unbolted from each other. Once transported to a new site, these modules can be reconnected and the building reused as a sales center for future Vulcan developments.

The four-sided steel bents of the structure are paired together with bolted connections that create a column-free interior for the exhibit space. The architect designed envelope components as prefabricated and modular assemblies, clad with durable exterior materials such as metal. Expansive floor-to-ceiling glass along the street facade opens the interior of the building to the sidewalk, inviting passersby to engage with the exhibits and activity inside. The wood roof structure cantilevers over the steel frame to provide a broad eave to protect from the elements. Softer woods clad the rear elevation, harmonizing with a city park abutting the site.

Formal name of project:
South Lake Union Discovery Center

Location:
Seattle, Wash.

Gross square footage:
11,000 sq. ft.

Owner:
Vulcan Real Estate

Architect:
The Miller|Hull Partnership
71 Columbia, 6th Fl.
Seattle, WA 98104
206-682-6837 tel.
206-682-5692 fax
www.millerhull.com

The Miller|Hull Partnership

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