Perkins+Will-designed residential towers would transform the Seattle skyline

The updated designs and plans 707 Terry Avenue in First Hill manage to break away from the cookie-cutter buildings in the area through the use of a façade that creates frayed appearance and, what Perkins+Will, the buildings’ architect, describes as a ‘creative tension’ that is fostered by the towers angling away from each other the higher into the sky they climb.

According to Curbed Seattle, each tower will be 33-stories tall and include around 440 apartments, 7,600 sf of commercial space, and 283 underground parking spaces (those totals vary and are not set in stone yet). The towers will be connected in two places: on the ground floor by a three-story podium and near the very top via a skywalk.

The proposed site for the residential towers is on land owned by the Frye Art Museum. Because of this, the museum will own a few of the apartments and some of the garage parking spots will be reserved for museum parking.

Theurbanist.org reports that each tower will be divided into three boxes containing about 10 floors. The unique-looking, frayed façade of the two buildings will be created through the use of metal, perforated shoji screens. These screens will act as sunscreens and be attached to a track system so residents can move and rearrange them as they see fit, meaning the façade will have a fluid, ever-changing nature about it. The screens will be able to cover windows or enclose entire balconies.

Secure bike storage and a full service restaurant with outdoor seating will also be included on the ground floor.