Queen Anne Lofts
Seattle,
Washington
Location
Neighborhoods + Density
Project type
Advisory +
Concept Design
Role
Located in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, just steps from the Pacific Science Center and the iconic Space Needle, Queen Anne Lofts was conceived as a high-end, loft-style apartment building tailored to the area’s walkable, urban lifestyle. The project explored a contemporary residential model designed to appeal to a young, tech-savvy workforce seeking flexible living arrangements, strong indoor–outdoor connections, and an authentic industrial character.
Challenge
The steeply sloping site and mid-block condition presented challenges related to access, parking, and massing while maintaining an active pedestrian presence along the street. The project also sought to accommodate a mix of residential lifestyles—including live/work flexibility—without sacrificing privacy, security, or architectural cohesion.
Solution
The feasibility study and concept design proposed a 20-unit building organized into two distinct masses, each articulated to reduce perceived scale and respond to the surrounding neighborhood. Three ground-level live/work units provide direct street access and multi-level layouts that clearly separate work spaces from private living areas above. A mid-block alley is leveraged to discreetly locate parking, keeping vehicles out of view and allowing the street frontage to remain lively and pedestrian-focused. Vertical circulation is expressed through sculpted outdoor stair towers that serve each mass, offering secure, semi-private access while contributing to the project’s architectural identity. Above, green roofs create layered outdoor spaces, while the two-story penthouse is crowned by a generous cantilevered roof that shelters a large private terrace overlooking the landscaped roofscape below.
Materials + Craft
An industrial-forward material palette reinforces the loft aesthetic and urban context. Masonry and exposed concrete establish permanence and structure, while grooved wood planks introduce warmth and tactile contrast. Dark metal window frames emphasize the building’s large openings and frame expansive views from floor to ceiling. The stair towers are carefully detailed as architectural elements in their own right—expressive yet secure—anchoring the massing and reinforcing the project’s crafted, contemporary character.
