Living Area
Roof Deck
The 1310 east union building was Dunn & Hobbes’ first construction project, completed in 2001. It was designed by the Miller|Hull Partnership, winners of the 2003 AIA National Firm of the Year award. The engineers were Swenson Say Faget and the general contractor was Turner Constuction's Special Projects Division. The project is uniquely scaled to a site that is smaller than most single-family lots in Seattle. It incorporates eight open-plan live-work units, each with roll-up window walls, as well as a street-level retail unit. Its distinctive steel-and-concrete design won numerous local and national AIA awards and the project has been featured in a number of national publications. Sustainability features include a stacked parking system, common gas-fired hot water and hydronic heating systems and natural ventilation.
1310 east union demonstrates many of the challenges and opportunities of a small infill site. Constructed on a 3,200 square foot site, it includes approximately 12,000 square feet of residential space, 500 square feet of retail space and eight secure parking spots. Its intimate scale and unique identity made it attractive to professionals, artists and designers who either commute by foot to Seattle’s downtown business district or work from their unit.
The building’s steel-and-concrete construction allowed for floor-to-ceiling bays of storefront windows and glazed aluminum roll-up doors which let living areas double as outdoor terraces. Unit floor plans were left completely open to maximize flexibility for each owner. Basic construction materials were left exposed: floors are scored concrete, ceilings are exposed steel decking, the building’s steel frame is exposed inside and out, and steel seismic cross-bracing was incorporated as a design element of the façade. The building’s scale and construction are compatible with the mixed residential/industrial history of the neighborhood.
The small but zen-like ground floor retail space is currently leased to Salon Moony.