Converging Waves

2014 Fairview Ave is a 41-story apartment building located in the Denny Triangle with 445 residential units located on top of a 3-story podium of retail and amenity space. Possibly the most unique aspect of this South Lake Union tower, derived from its triangular site, is the subtle wave that the tower gives the foggy Seattle skyline. This progressively twisting geometry was developed through an iterative design process driven by a script in the visual coding language Grasshopper. Design options were tested using physical models and virtual reality headsets which allowed the client and design team to visualize the mind bending form. This portion of the project was coded in part by Blue Forty founder, Alex Collins alongside computational designer Dane Stokes.

One of the most impressive aspects of this tower’s dynamic form is that the spiral is created utilizing a single standard floor plate, allowing for universal guardrail detailing and reuse of costly concrete formwork during construction. The project is currently under construction.

Alex Collins was a member of the design team while at ZGF Architects LLP. You can find more information about the project as well as their firm here.