Student Work

Course Description

BRIDGING COMMUNITY AT RAINIER

Students: Gunes Erel
Studio: ARCH 503 — Peter Cohan — Autumn 2023
Location: Seattle, Washington

Project Description

Bridges at Rainier reimagines a prominent corner with a mixed-use building that blends homes, shops, and live-work units. The design layers pathways and public spaces to encourage everyday encounters and active street life. Discover how architecture becomes a bridge to community connection. A key corner site into a vibrant mixed-use building where architecture itself becomes a bridge to community life. The project responds to the need for housing, neighborhood activation, and flexible space by weaving together residential, commercial, and live-work uses. Rather than treating the building as a boundary, the design opens it up as a place for interaction and connection.

Circulation paths are layered and interwoven, guiding residents and visitors through shared courtyards, walkways, and street-level activity zones. Retail and live-work spaces on the ground floor activate the sidewalk and invite neighbors inside, while upper levels provide a mix of housing options that contribute to density and affordability in the area. By combining private living with public engagement, the project turns a corner lot into a neighborhood hub.

The result is a design that supports both individual and collective needs—providing homes, workspaces, and gathering places in one. Bridges at Rainier shows how mixed-use architecture can foster connection, encourage economic vitality, and enrich everyday urban life.

 

Images from Bridging Community at Rainier.