With the opening of the U District Station, LMN Architects celebrates the completion of the 4.3-mile Northgate Link Extension with three new light rail stations. The design of the 9,755 sqm station creates a unified transportation solution and offers a new gateway to the University of Washington campus.

The U District Station joins a network of vibrant stations with public art and sustainable design that connect to a diversity of neighborhoods in the Seattle Metropolitan area.
Designed in collaboration with McMillen Jacobs Associates, the station by LMN Architects offers pedestrians, cyclists, bus commuters, and residents a highly functional, easy-to-use, and appropriately scaled transit hub conveniently located for their diverse activities.

The light rail system is the first major railway system in the United States to run on 100% carbon-neutral electricity.
 

Description of project by LMN Architects

Seattle’s University District is a bustling and eclectic mixed-use community situated directly between the city’s downtown core and the burgeoning neighborhoods to the north. With the University of Washington’s Seattle campus and numerous commercial enterprises creating a destination for thousands of students, workers, and visitors every day, this new station anticipates record numbers of riders in fulfilment of its pivotal role in Seattle’s urban evolution.

The U District Station, designed in collaboration with McMillen Jacobs Associates, offers pedestrians, cyclists, bus commuters and residents a highly functional, easy-to-use, and appropriately scaled transit hub conveniently located for their diverse activities.


“This project is a model of urban transportation infrastructure and relates to a complex of interconnected stations which we have been designing for Sound Transit over many years. Integrated into the urban fabric of Seattle, the U District Station and its associated public spaces, along with prominent use of color, art, and lighting, provided an opportunity to connect major urban mobility systems, integrated into the immediate neighborhood community.”

Mark Reddington, Partner, LMN Architects.


The U District Station is the first stop on the Northgate Link, a 4.3-mile light rail extension from the University of Washington Station on its way to points north. With the train platform located 85 feet below street level, the bulk of the station’s 105,000-square-foot area is below grade, served by two entrances on Brooklyn Avenue NE between NE 43rd Street and NE 45th Street. The balance of the above-grade site accommodates a future high-rise transit-oriented development project to be constructed on top of the station. Each of the two entries provides elevators, escalators, and stairs to the trains below. The north entrance lobby serves riders heading to and from the adjacent Neptune Theater and mixed-use neighborhood, as well as a major Metro bus transfer hub on NE 45th Street. The south lobby gives pedestrians a direct link to the UW campus a few blocks east. Creating a pedestrian-friendly experience, the sidewalks and streets facing the entrances meet Green Street standards, with ample landscaping, pedestrian lighting, seat walls, and a bike lane. For bike commuters, both entrance lobbies offer bicycle storage and racks.

This bright, open, and easy-to-navigate station is expected to serve thousands of daily riders. Above ground, black granite cladding establishes the project’s legibility within an increasingly dense and varied urban environment. When the future transit-oriented development completes the block, the entry structures will integrate effectively into the larger urban setting, maintaining their Sound Transit identity.


“Working with LMN Architects throughout the design, construction, and commissioning was extremely rewarding. LMN collaborated seamlessly in what was, at the time, the first use of Building Information Modeling for the agency. We have designed and built quite a few underground stations, and the completion of the new U District Station is a good example of what we can build for the advancement of Seattle as the metropolitan area continues to grow and expand into the new century.”

Daniel N. Adams, Corporate Development Officer, McMillen Jacobs Associates.


From the north and south lobbies, patrons descend through the escalator and stair tubes to a mid-level open landing, placed within a tall voluminous central space, and continue to the train platform below via open escalators or an open stair. The landing appears to float above the angled cross-bracing elements and is offset to the east. The offset, along with artwork and video installations on the west wall, create a design asymmetry that will help to define north-south wayfinding and directionality on the platform. While passengers wait for their trains, they will experience “Fragment Brooklyn” by Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo of Lead Pencil Studio. The artwork is a collection of sculptural pieces formed from stainless steel woven wire fabric into architectural appendages containing video screens depicting domestic life.


“This station artwork references the little-known original platting of this neighborhood as the city of Brooklyn, WA. Intended to be similar in every way to the namesake New York borough, the early development model never took hold except that the street name of Brooklyn Avenue remained. Fragment Brooklyn is an imaginary urban streetscape of building parts woven from metal mesh with films that detail quiet moments of domestic life and U-District history. The scale of the artwork, at almost 300 ft long, is a response to the cathedral size volume of the subterranean station and provides an opportunity for riders to make a visual connection to the increasingly urban context of life above ground.”

Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo, Lead Pencil Studio.


The large central volume is defined by a white corrugated metal ceiling and canted walls that conceal essential back-of-house functions. Wayfinding is enhanced by overhead aluminum tubes containing lighting, speakers, and other systems, which begin at the north and south station entries and trace a path to the platform. Two different colors aid passengers in orienting north and south: orange for north and blue for south.


“When we began the design, we were conscious of the large-scale transportation and infrastructure needs, but more importantly the neighborhood and its relationship with the urban framework. The station will bring together commuters, travelers, and the local community to experience the city in a new urban ‘room’ infused by the life around the site. We are extremely proud to be a part of this effort to help improve public infrastructure and support Seattle’s urban evolution.”

Howard Fitzpatrick, Principal, LMN Architects.


The U District Station embodies LMN’s transit design principles: urban legibility, simple form, intuitive wayfinding, and memorable public space. It contributes another innovative, visionary station to Sound Transit’s growing light rail network. LMN Architects is recipient of the 2016 AIA National Architecture Firm Award and is widely recognized for its design of projects that support smart, sustainable cities. The firm has successfully completed more than 700 projects across North America, including the double LEED Platinum Vancouver Convention Centre West in Vancouver, Canada; Cleveland Convention Center & Civic Core in Cleveland, Ohio; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas; and the recently completed Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal in Mukilteo, Washington. The firm’s ongoing dedication to communities at all scales is underscored by its design approach, creating environments that elevate the social experience.

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Architects
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Project team
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Greg Bishop, AIA; Elizabeth Correa, AIA; Tiffany Coyne; Aubrey Davidson, AIA; Matthew Fisher, AIA; Howard Fitzpatrick, AIA; Chris Grammens, AIA; Mette Greenshields, AIA; Kailin Gregga; James Johnson; Eun Jun, AIA; Winnie Lam, AIA; Maya Leites; Po-Hsuan Li; Jennifer Marckx; Chris Martin; David Matthews, AIA; Evan McQuillen; John Mrozek, AIA; John Nesholm, FAIA; Eric Nothdurft, AIA; John Park; John Petterson, AIA; Mark Reddington, FAIA; Byron Rice, AIA; Tyler Schaffer, AIA; Todd Schwisow, AIA; Martin Sicotte; Kathy Stallings, AIA; Ka Yan Tsang; Victor Velarde; Jon Wagner; Jennifer Whitney, AIA; John Woloszyn, AIA.
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Collaborators
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Prime Consultant - Project Manager, Lead Structural & Geotechnical Engineer.- McMillen Jacobs Associates. Above Grade Structural Engineer.- Bright Engineering. Civil Engineer.- KPFF Consulting Engineers. Landscape Architect.- Swift Company. Mechanical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection Engineer, Traffic & Lighting Design.- WSP. Electrical Engineer.- Elcon Associates. Building Management Systems.- Triunity, Inc. Communications.- LTK. Vertical Transportation and Acoustical design.- The Greenbusch Group, Inc. Artist.- Lead Pencil Studio.
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Client
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Builder
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Construction Management.- NorthSTAR JV. General Contractors.- Hoffman Construction Company (GC), University Mechanical Contractors (MCCM), and VECA (ECCM).
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Area
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Site Area.- 11,891.5 sqm. Floor Area.- 9,755 sqm. Building Height Above Grade.- 13.4 m. Building Height Below Grade.- 28 m. Number of Floors.- 1 above grade and 4 below grade.
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Dates
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Design.- 2009-2016. Construction.- 2017-2021.
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Location
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4300 Brooklyn Ave NE. Seattle, Washington, United States.
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Photography
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Adam Hunter/LMN Architects.
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LMN Architects specializes in the planning and design of significant public and private projects, including transit stations, cultural venues, convention centers, education facilities, office buildings, mixed-use developments, and other urban environments that celebrate and enrich communities. The firm is the recipient of the 2016 American Institute of Architects National Architecture Firm Award.

SELECTED DESIGN AWARDS
2018 AIA National Honor Award for Interior Architecture
2017 Chicago Athenaeum/Europe International Architecture Award
2017 American Architecture Awards Airports and Transportation Centers
2017 Architizer Popular Choice Winner, Architecture + Glass
2016 Fast Company Innovation by Design Honorable Mention for Spaces, Places, Cities
2016 AIA Washington Council Civic Design Awards Honorable Mention
2016 AIA Seattle Chapter Award of Merit
2016 City of Seattle Design Commission Design Excellence Award

John Chau, AIA,
John is one of our most gifted designers and conceptualists. His ability to integrate the unique characteristics of each project with local culture and tradition has resulted in responsive, innovative solutions. His collaborative working style and mentoring skills have been fundamental in the success of many of the firm’s most important projects.

Sam Miller, FAIA, LEED AP,
Sam’s work includes civic, education, and performing arts projects in addition to leading LMN’s advances in sustainable design and design technology. His construction and engineering background supports a thorough understanding of building systems and technology.

Walt Niehoff, AIA,
Walt has been with LMN since 1989 and leads the firm’s private sector work. His expertise includes the design and project management of mixed-use, commercial, retail, corporate office, and high-rise office projects. He is a leader in developing progressive designs that integrate mixed-use projects into urban neighborhoods, and highly regarded for his ability to work with stakeholders to create projects embraced by their communities.

Wendy Pautz, FAIA,
Wendy is known for integrating conceptual design with a sophisticated knowledge of technical resolution. She synthesizes pragmatic project requirements with far-reaching social, economic and environmental considerations resulting in innovative solutions that enhance the life of their communities.

Mark Reddington, FAIA,
Mark has been instrumental in establishing LMN as a leader in the design of public places with over 120 awards including national and international awards for architecture, urban design and sustainability.  He leads projects in all market sectors including convention centers, performing arts, education and transportation and brings a strong focus on enhancing the public realm through design excellence.

George Shaw, FAIA, LEED AP,
George provides project leadership on major public projects including convention centers, performing arts venues and higher education facilities. His ability to discern and resolve fundamental planning and design issues, combined with his management and cost control skills, ensure a creative and highly effective design and project delivery process.

Stephen Van Dyck, AIA, LEED AP,
Stephen has earned a reputation for innovation, design technology and collaborative leadership and is widely recognized as an industry authority in the adoption of emerging technologies. His project experience encompasses a wide range of public assembly, performing arts, higher education and mixed-use projects.

Rafael Viñoly-Menendez, AIA,
Rafael has been involved in a wide range of national and international projects, including performing arts venues, sports and events facilities, with a special emphasis on the planning and design of convention and conference centers. His involvement with a wide variety of project types has consistently produced creative design solutions that capitalize on the opportunities implicit in the client’s program, site, and budget.

 
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