Bellevue and Olive Apartments is a mixed-use development designed to harmonize with the prewar apartment buildings in the west Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The challenge in designing Bellevue and Olive Apartments was in creating family dwelling units and usable open space in an urban context. As a result, the building was sited to buffer a protected landscaped courtyard and playground on the sunny south and west sides of the site from the adjacent busy streets. At the juncture of those two streets, Bellevue and Olive, a rotunda was designed to emphasize the identity of the building. The building also includes underground parking for residents and first floor commercial space.

Contain construction and life cycle costs:

Minimizing the lifecycle costs of the project was important to the client. Synthetic stucco or EIFS was used as a long-term solution to the exterior material. The acrylic finish is durable and cleanable and offers the ability to economically create architectural detail in the design. Other lifecycle cost considerations include central heating for domestic hot water in lieu of individual hot water tanks.

Solid core doors are used throughout the project to help resist damage which has been an ongoing maintenance expense in other apartment projects. VCT tile is used in kitchens in lieu of vinyl flooring to better withstand wear. Tile was used in the main lobby to also withstand high foot traffic.

The approach to construction and cost control included negotiating with the contractor and continually value engineering the project throughout the phases of design. At the time of construction the entire team had full understanding of the project goals program and budget.

Meet high aesthetic standards:

The client and architect of this project strongly believe that affordable housing should not look like low income or subsidized housing. The design for this building was developed to blend with the context and scale of the neighborhood. The EIFS exterior provided a medium to create layers and reveals that brought detail to the design. The building form was articulated by providing modulation of the façade, trim bands, window mullion patterns, exterior decks and the central focus rotunda. Color was used as an economical means to help articulate architectural features and accentuate the top of the building.

The interior lobby and common area is designed to have a very residential feel and scale. The lobby has tile flooring and light blonde wood details, and has large street side windows to brighten the space.

Support physical safety and security:

Safety and security were prime considerations in the design of the Bellevue and Olive apartments. The building management office is strategically placed at the street front to view the street, building entry, and the common spaces. Admittance to the building is through a building entry system that utilizes an intercom system between residents' units and the front door. Resident parking is located on a separate floor with secure gates and keyed entry to the elevators. The courtyard and playground is fenced to provide a comfortable exterior secure space. Within units, the security measures include window locks that allow windows to be partially open, view ports at the doors, and the intercom connection to the front door.