Student Work

Course Description

GREEN TERRACE

Student: Nathan Keldsen
Studio: ARCH 503 — Rick Mohler — Fall 2025
Location: Seattle, Washington

Project Description

This project reimagines multifamily housing in Rainier Beach through the lens of mass timber construction and layered outdoor space. It responds to the need for housing that balances density with livability, offering residents access to nature while strengthening connections within the community. By organizing the building around a series of stepped terraces, the design creates a gradient between public and private life that reflects the rhythms of shared and individual experience.

Avenue South Apartments - Ground Floor Plan — Avenue South Apartments – Ground Floor Plan

The terraced green spaces serve as the heart of the project, beginning with open, communal areas at the ground level and gradually transitioning into more intimate, semi-private gardens for residents above. These spaces encourage interaction among neighbors while still allowing for moments of quiet retreat.

Avenue South Apartments - typical Floor Plan — Avenue South Apartments – typical Floor Plan

The use of mass timber not only reduces the building’s environmental impact but also introduces warmth and texture to both interior and exterior environments. Large openings, natural materials, and integrated planting systems further blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living. Together, these strategies create a housing model that is both sustainable and socially responsive, rooted in the character and needs of Rainier Beach.

Avenue South Apartments - Unit View — Avenue South Apartments – Unit View

Images from GREEN TERRACE.