Student Work

Course Description

4026 and 4022 Woodland Park Avenue

Student: Nina Brenan
Studio: ARCH 400 — Rob Humble — Fall 2025
Location: Seattle, Washington

Project Description

In Seattle’s Woodland Park neighborhood, this student housing proposal at 4026 and 4022 Woodland Park Avenue explores how infill development can strengthen community identity while increasing access to housing. The project brings together a mix of unit types designed to support a diverse population, including students, working professionals, and families. Positioned within walking distance of transit, bike routes, and nearby mixed-use corridors, the design prioritizes everyday connectivity over car dependence. Rather than treating the site as leftover urban space, the proposal reframes it as a connector between neighborhood fabric, mobility networks, and natural systems.

The design’s central pathway follows the site’s natural topography, turning level changes into an organizing feature rather than a barrier. This movement spine organizes circulation through the site and supports a more intuitive pedestrian experience. By shifting emphasis away from the typical “car canyon” condition, the project creates a sheltered green corridor that prioritizes walking, gathering, and slow movement through the site.

Landscaped edges and planted buffers help soften the transition between buildings and street, offering moments of pause within the urban fabric. This nature-forward approach strengthens environmental performance while enhancing daily life for residents. The result is a housing environment that balances density with livability, using landscape and circulation to create a calm, connected experience in the heart of the neighborhood.

Images from 4026 and 4022 Woodland Park Avenue.