Photo: Kyle Johnson

505 First Avenue Reposition

Seattle, Washington

505 First is a regenerative, high-performance adaptive reposition project targeting Core Green Building Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), positioning it among the first adaptive reuse buildings to meet this rigorous sustainability standard. Spanning a full city block, with dual entries at Railroad Way to the west and First Avenue to the east, 505 First introduces a new front door and creates opportunities for tenants and visitors to connect with Seattle’s revitalized waterfront, historic Pioneer Square, and each other.

Design Principal
Kirsten Ring Murray

Reconnection to the Waterfront

On the waterfront side, the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct—an elevated highway—transformed the former back door into a second front door. A new bicycle clubhouse lobby activates this edge, linking to commuter trail networks and providing space for gathering, bike maintenance, and community use.

Reconnection to the Neighborhood

Along the building’s central circulation pathway, reclaimed timber screens reduce the scale of the lobby and define a series of thresholds and semi-private seating areas. Throughout, a warm and tactile material palette of wood, natural steel, and concrete marks the progression between urban and waterfront conditions.

Reflecting Historic Pioneer Square

Steel plant armatures at both entries echo the neighborhood’s hanging flower baskets, equipped with a hand-operated kinetic pulley system for watering. Custom lighting underscores the lobby as a lively, activated streetscape.

Reclaiming the Rooftop

The connection to the waterfront continues at the rooftop, now reclaimed as a tranquil outdoor amenity. Two pavilions with exposed mass timber roofs reference to the historic architecture of Pioneer Square, while oversized windows frame expansive views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. Coastal-inspired plantings define flexible outdoor spaces for meetings and events, while native, drought-tolerant vegetation supports pollinators and advances the project’s regenerative landscape goals.

505 First Avenue responds to the city of Seattle removing an elevated highway, taking advantage of the broader waterfront renovation by creating a new front door to the city, a new circulation hub for the neighborhood, and fresh opportunities to engage with the revitalized waterfront.Kirsten Ring Murray

FAIA, Design Principal

Reintegrating Ecology

Sustainability is deeply embedded in every aspect of the design, incorporating more than 20% locally sourced materials, with over 50% of wood either salvaged or sustainably harvested. Low-emitting materials, MERV-13 air filters, and generous daylighting strategies ensure a healthy indoor environment for tenants and visitors.

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