Aegis Living Lake Union senior living community in Seattle aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation

Aegis Living Lake Union in Seattle is the world’s first assisted living community designed to meet the rigorous Living Building Challenge certification. Completed in 2022, the Ankrom Moisan-designed, 70,000 sf-building is fully electrified. All commercial dryers, domestic hot water, and kitchen equipment are powered by electricity in lieu of gas, which reduces the facility’s carbon footprint.

The community will source power through an onsite solar array and an offsite solar energy farm. Key energy reduction measures include improved exterior insulation, triple pane windows, heat recovery ventilation, heat pump heating and cooling, LED lighting and lighting control sensors, and installation of all high-efficiency appliances.

The building provides 79 living units, including a mix of studio and one-bedroom options with some apartments dedicated to memory care. Amenities include a spa/wellness center with a salon, massage suite, and fitness center. A variety of gathering spaces are available for residents to spend time with family, friends, and neighbors, including an onsite cinema and sky lounge terrace with views of Lake Union.

The aesthetics and environmentalism of Aegis Living Lake Union were inspired by the historic rowing clubs and culture of the area. The exterior consists of natural materials including lapped cedar siding and rough brick, and the surrounding landscaping has been thoughtfully curated to consider biodiversity and rainfall. The pattern of cedar cladding on the north side of the building was designed to evoke the image of oars through water, while the unique steel pattern entry canopy echoes the rowing shell and the shape of the oars.

The top-level roof overhang was extended to create additional roof area to accommodate more rooftop solar panels. These strong shapes and patterns can be seen in the exterior brickwork and entry canopy and continue into the interior of the building.

The lobby presents a tribute to the 1936 University of Washington men’s rowing team that took gold at the Berlin Olympics. An original Pocock racing shell is suspended from the sustainably sourced wood ceiling—defined by a geometric composition suggesting rowing cadence and waves. Nature is also frequently alluded to in many details. Biophilic principles are evidenced through natural light spilling through wide windows, and a greenspace and watercourse offering peace and mindfulness via patterns in the carpet, the shape of the lighting fixtures, and the art adorning the walls.

On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: Aegis Senior Living Communities, LLC
Design architect: Ankrom Moisan
Architect of record: Ankrom Moisan
MEP engineer: PAE Engineers
Structural engineer: Bykonen Carter Quinn
General contractor/construction manager: Absher Construction

Aegis Living Lake Union senior living community in Seattle aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation

The Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy is offering more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to teams across America. Prize recipients will be selected based on their ideas to accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades.

Exterior of building entry to accessible housing community

Affordable Housing | Mar 2, 2023

These 9 novel housing communities offer support beyond affordability

Here are nine specialized multifamily developments designed to assist their tenants’ needs.

Multifamily Housing | Mar 1, 2023

Multifamily construction startup Cassette takes a different approach to modular building

Prefabricated modular design and construction have made notable inroads into such sectors as industrial, residential, hospitality and, more recently, office and healthcare. But Dafna Kaplan thinks that what’s held back the modular building industry from even greater market penetration has been suppliers’ insistence that they do everything: design, manufacture, logistics, land prep, assembly, even onsite construction. Kaplan is CEO and Founder of Cassette, a Los Angeles-based modular building startup.

Senior Living Design | Feb 15, 2023

Passive House affordable senior housing project opens in Boston

Work on Phase Three C of The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony, a 55-apartment midrise building in Boston that stands out for its use of Passive House design principles, was recently completed. Designed by The Architectural Team (TAT), the four-story structure was informed throughout by Passive House principles and standards.

Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023

New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel

See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

HUD Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap - HUD unveils report to help multifamily housing developers overcome barriers to offsite construction

Multifamily Housing | Feb 3, 2023

HUD unveils report to help multifamily housing developers overcome barriers to offsite construction

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in partnership with the National Institute of Building Sciences and MOD X, has released the Offsite Construction for Housing: Research Roadmap, a strategic report that presents the key knowledge gaps and research needs to overcome the barriers and challenges to offsite construction.