PIKE STATION

Fulfilling its client’s vision to transform the site of an abandoned gas station into an ecological live-work community, Pike Station provides a model for neighborhood-scale infill housing with a communal focus. Sustainability was paramount in the design, with special attention given to the collection and recycling of water, embracing the enriching fall of Pacific Northwest rain.

Situated on a corner site on the commercial strip of Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood, Pike Station comprises seven loft units with small commercial spaces below. The L-shaped building is oriented around a communal courtyard, where residents and commercial tenants can gather.

Design began in 2007, using the framework of the then-new Living Building Challenge. Sustainable features include a highly insulated wall assembly, operable windows designed for stack ventilation, and photovoltaic capacity for each unit.

Rainwater is harvested from the roof decks and courtyard, filtering down, through cascading planters, into a 25,000 gallon cistern. Water from laundry, bathroom sinks, and showers is collected and treated for reuse. Together, this greywater is reused for irrigation and flushing toilets.

While regulations were too burdensome to deploy full blue-water functionality for this project, the strategies employed could one day be used as part of a complete treatment system to provide all-purpose clean water back to building users.