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Student Work

Course Description

CORE ARTIST AND COMMUNITY CENTER

Students: Valentina Delgado Sabogal
Studio: ARCH 301 — Elisa Renouard and Stephen Trigueiro — Winter 2025
Location: Seattle, Washington

Project Description

Once a source of energy for Seattle, the Magnolia City Light Substation now stands abandoned—but this student proposal reimagines its future as a space that sparks creativity and connection. The project envisions the substation as a hub for artists and a gathering place for the Magnolia community, transforming an industrial relic into a vibrant neighborhood resource.

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Exhibition Space Render.

The concept draws inspiration from the layered structure of the Earth, with design elements that reflect depth and growth. At the “core” of the building lie artist studios—spaces dedicated to creative work and experimentation. Rising above them are layers of living and community-oriented spaces, including areas for interaction, collaboration, and exchange. This vertical progression mirrors both geological formation and the way communities build upon shared foundations.

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Concept Diagram.

 

By weaving together art, housing, and gathering spaces, the design not only revitalizes an abandoned site but also strengthens bonds within the surrounding neighborhood. It offers a vision for adaptive reuse that honors history while meeting contemporary needs for creativity, belonging, and resilience.

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Floor Plans.

 

Images from CORE ARTIST AND COMMUNITY CENTER.