Eleven Eleven East Pike
March 26, 2008
Tonight C and I had the opportunity to check out Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen's new condominium project. The renderings, animations, and background information was all very interesting to check out, but it was particularly nice to listen to Tom Kundig speak about in the intent and inspiration behind the new condos..
Like many cities, Seattle is rife with monotonous mixed-use developer inspired condos. Its rare to find projects designed by architects, and extremely rare to find one designed by an architect of Kundig's caliber. In fact, this idea of well done, architect designed condos was one of the driving features of the project. With a local landowner who had spent nearly all her life in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, the intent was always to create a spectacular design that would be at once modern and yet consistent with the flavor of the neighborhood. Using a multitude of inspirations, including the historic auto dealers of the neighborhood, as well as the desire to provide housing at a cost consistent with the neighborhood's inhabitants, Kundig and his cohorts created a quite lovely project.
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One of the more interesting facets of the projects is its adaptability to its tenants. The exterior colors (painted hardi-panels) will be chosen at will (from a selection of 4 colors) by each individual unit owner, creating an organic color patterning. At the interior, the puzzle shaped walls will allow the inhabitants to open and divide space per their particular needs. The idea is that by creating customizable units, it will help to sustain the neighborhood, keeping people in the city who actually want to live and work there.
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The project is already under construction, and units will likely go fast, so if you are interested I'd check into them sooner rather than later. I'll try and post photos of the construction as it goes along, so that we can see more progress.
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