Student Work

Course Description

BLOCK105

Students: Cynthia Tan
Studio: ARCH 504 — Myer Harrell — Winter 2024
Location: Seattle, Washington

Project Description

BLOCK105 is a student-designed project that aligns with the Rainier Beach Action Coalition’s mission to expand access to healthy, affordable food. At its core, the project demonstrates how architecture can support community-led food systems while remaining economically viable and replicable. By focusing on equity and accessibility, the design creates a hub where food-related services can thrive and where the surrounding community feels supported.

Interior Perspective Render.

The building is constructed with mass timber and organized around a grid-like structural system. This approach allows for prefabricated components, lowering construction costs and simplifying assembly. The system also makes the building highly adaptable: spaces can be efficiently compartmentalized to house multiple programs, and the structure can be disassembled or reconfigured in the future. Beyond technical innovation, the design is meant to be a model for other neighborhoods—a demonstration of how sustainable, affordable, and community-centered spaces can be achieved. BLOCK105 is more than a building; it’s a strategy for making food equity tangible and scalable.

Structural and Egress Diagram.

 

Environmental Services.

 

Images from BLOCK105.