Photo: Marco Prozzo

The Brain

Seattle, Washington

The Brain is a 14,280‑cubic‑foot cinematic laboratory where the client, a filmmaker, can work out ideas. Physically, that neighborhood birthplace of invention, the garage, provides the conceptual model.

The flexible cast‑in‑place concrete box is intended to be a strong yet neutral background that can be adapted at will. The north wall of the double‑height main space is inserted with a mezzanine constructed entirely of 1/2‑inch steel plates that are welded and folded in an “origami” fashion in order to produce the rigidity and strength need to become structurally self‑sufficient.

A set of stairs to the loft is hidden behind a darkroom and storage space is tucked beneath the steel loft, while a fireman’s pole provides an easier and more flamboyant means of egress down.

The Brain Studio is as much a treehouse, fort, and playroom as it is a serious work space, and ultimately it is a quirky but true reflection of the client and his personality.

The Newman Center

Seattle, Washington

Tacoma Art Museum Plaza Design Competition

Tacoma, Washington

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