Olson Kundig is honored to share that Leach Botanical Garden (led by design principal Kevin M. Kudo-King, AIA, LEED AP) has received an Award of Merit from the 2024 AIA Seattle Honor Awards for Washington Architecture. This annual awards program recognizes architectural design excellence in projects and firms across Washington State.

This project marks the first phase of implementing Leach Botanical Garden’s new master plan, which includes an arbor, fireside terrace, and elevated tree walk. Designed for gatherings and special events, the arbor and fireside terrace blend into the garden, with the arbor’s lath house-inspired design featuring wooden screens on a steel and glulam frame that support natural plant growth around the structure. An elevated tree walk adjacent to the arbor creates a new experience of the forest and gardens, weaving through mature trees and hovering above the hillside instead of following the topography.

“I’m incredibly grateful to have this project recognized by AIA Seattle,” shares Kudo-King. “The pavilion and elevated tree walk at Leach Botanical Garden were intended as simple yet transformative spaces for all community members to connect with nature in new ways, and with each other. I’m proud to share this recognition with our clients and collaborators, and of the inclusive community space we’ve created together.”

Additionally, architectural team member Fiki Falola was selected for the AIA Seattle Young Voices jury. This panel elevates and engages the perspective of young designers by providing the opportunity to review, deliberate, and ultimately select one built project for recognition as the Young Voices Selection.

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Leach Botanical Garden, Portland, Oregon, USA

Design Principal: Kevin Kudo-King, AIA, LEED AP
Project Architect: Misun Chung Gerrick
Architectural Staff: Michael Wright
Lead Consultant, Landscape Architect & Master Planning: Land Morphology
General Contractor: JW Fowler
Civil Engineer: Janet Turner Engineering
Structural Engineer: Lund Opsahl
Electrical Engineer and Lighting Design: Reyes Engineering
Green Infrastructure: GreenWorks
Traffic Engineer: Lancaster Engineering
Land Use Planning: Winterbrook Planning
Specifications: Friday Group
Cost Estimating: Mitali & Associates