reconciliation
urban waters research stationMagnuson Park, Seattle, Washington
UW Winter Foundation Studio II, 2020
Defining tectonics. Sited within a natural windbreak, the Urban Waters Research Station both acknowledges the existing landscape and reinforces the windbreak itself. A repetitive post and beam structure cuts a linear path across the meadow and reaches into the water—directly connecting the two ecosystems. Enclosed portions of the structure shift in and out of the framing elements, dancing along a processional open walkway that connects the volumes together.
Employing a modular system, the additive nature suggests impermanence, yet eludes to the tension between building as a temporal act and buildings as permanent human impact upon the earth. The form suggests a work in progress—much like the important work of the environmental advocates in residence at the research station.