the miller hull partnership is an architectural firm based in seattle , washington , founded by david miller and robert hull .

the firm 's major works in the domains of municipal , commercial , and residential architecture reflect a modernist aesthetic and a focus on user needs , geographic context , and ecological sustainability .

the firm has received many awards acknowledging its innovative " green " design approach and its contribution to the continued development of pacific northwest regional architecture .

miller hull

page two of old photos from hull ma . miller and simons family of hull ma . history of hull ma .
miller hull also included artwork around the studio that was made by its founding partner , bob hull .
the miller hull partnership has a just label ; a voluntary and transparent social equity disclosure program .
professor miller teaches graduate design studios and graduate courses in structural architecture and architectural systems integration . he is a founding partner with the miller / hull partnership , architecture and planning in seattle and san diego . miller / hull has received over 200 design awards including the 2003 national aia firm award .
david miller and robert hull , members of the class of 1968 and founding partners of seattle - based the miller | hull partnership , llp , were honored as the 37 th and 38 th recipients of the regents’ distinguished alumnus award . in 2003 the miller hull partnership received the 2003 american institute of architects architecture firm award , the aia’s highest honor .
robert hull , a founding partner of the miller hull partnership , died from complications related to a stroke he suffered while on sabbatical in port elizabeth , south africa , according to a statement from his firm . hull was 68 .
hull began his design career in the new york office of marcel breuer , where his firm said he honed his modernist aesthetic . he eventually joined david miller at rhone iredale in vancouver , b . c . , before they opened the miller hull partnership in seattle in 1977 .
although not a typical component of many of the projects miller hull undertakes , the equitable investment portion of this project was deemed a high priority . for many years , miller hull has supported its community and issues the employees care about through charitable contributions . some of the causes that miller hull supports include professional organizations related to architecture and art , community causes like habitat for humanity and united way , environmental organizations to preserve and restore land , educational endowments for scholarships as well as other originations that are close to their hearts .
miller hull partner craig curtis said : “it is rare to see someone in this profession with as much raw talent as bob possessed , yet be so grounded and humble .
in 2015 alone , miller hull gave a significant amount to support these organizations that help to improve communities . the amount given far - exceeds the . 5 cents per project dollar required by the living building challenge . what’s more , miller hull will contribute nearly this amount again next year , as charitable giving is a foundational part of this firm’s annual operations .
hull in the eighteenth century : a study in economic and social history . gordon jackson , oxford university press for the university of hull . 1972 .
built on the values and principles of sustainability , forty years ago dave miller and bob hull founded a firm that has led the way in creating architecture that responds to and respects its natural surroundings . the miller hull partnership continues this founding tradition as they are involved with a number of living buildings that push the boundary of efficiency , including the recently completed bullitt center–the largest and first commercial certified living building regarded as ‘the greenest building in the world’ . when it came time for miller hull to renovate its own studio , the living building challenge was the right path to represent firm values .
brian court , aia , leed ap , is an associate architect at miller hull , where he has worked for 12 years and was the project architect on the bullitt center . miller hull has been a leading design firm in the pacific northwest since the late 70s , when it started building houses using passive design . principals dave miler and bob hull have been pushing the sustainability envelope ever since .
i like to say that miller hull has been waiting for a project like this for 30 years ,
says court .
we look for honest expression and unique opportunities and let them be evocative of the design . the bullitt project was the perfect culmination of that .
miller hull feels the design is a reflection of the type of architecture that it has designed since its inception . at the heart of the firm’s work is a connection to the power of natural surroundings . their legacy of environmentally responsible buildings is inspired by the efficiency and elegance of passive systems and regional materials . miller hull leverages the openness and flexibility of modernist form to celebrate connections inside and out .
my grandfather , lloyd parker miller owned and operated miller ' s boat shop on the corner of nantasket ave and u street for many years . in addition to running the boat shop he pumped gas , did auto & marine repairs , owned & operated hull ' s first tow truck and owned & operated hull ' s first bus . he sold the bus to the army to transport soldiers during wwi .
seed crushing continues to be equally as important to hull’s economy in the 21st century .
sir a . k . rollit and others . the city of hull official handbook , with a historical and commercial review . a . brown & sons . hull , 1908 .
after a multi - stage , national selection process which culminated in a two - month ideas competition lead by georgia tech , the lord aeck sargent ( las ) / the miller hull partnership ( miller hull ) team was selected to design the first living building challenge ( lbc ) certified building in the southeast . this is las’s second lbc project on the boards and we expect this blog post to be a first in a series documenting the exciting journey .
- ( 2016 - 2017 ) amy miller received the 2016 outstanding special education teacher award from the national association of special education teachers .
- ( 2013 - 2014 ) haley elementary special education teacher amy miller was awarded the coach jesse parker legacy award on april 3 .
the miller hull partnership work space marks two significant milestones for the living building challenge . it is the 50 th project to achieve certification , and is the first project to certify under v3 . 1 of the living building challenge .
hull led design of waterfront projects in san diego , including the wharf and pier 32 marinas .
whether it is the cement content of a huge infrastructure project or the reuse of materials in an office space , miller hull always considers the embodied carbon of its project work . one of the primary material approaches for the studio space was to reuse as much of the existing materials as possible . however , typical architects’ offices have an open floorplan and very few walls . this was the case with miller hull’s space even prior to the remodel work , which limited opportunities for reuse .
vancouver community library was designed by the miller hull partnership of seattle , for which this kind of public project ( especially one designed sustainably ) seems an ideal commission . the firm’s project manager , adin dunning , is a vancouver native , and the miller hull partnership is the recipient of the national firm award from the american institute of architects . the firm has received over 200 design awards and was listed by architect magazine earlier this year as the # 22 architecture firm in america .
miller hull partner craig curtis said , “bob served as a mentor not only to me personally , but for dozens of other architects — and i owe much of my success as a designer to him since joining the firm 27 years ago .
so all that is left is to say a hearty congratulations to the miller hull partnership and all involved in the project . it has been a truly educational awards category for 2013 and we will be keeping our eyes open for your future projects .
the very nature of miller hull’s business requires the use of land , and the habitat exchange imperative provides the firm a way to offset this unavoidable reality . although many of the firm’s projects strive to build upon previously developed sites in the effort to protect virgin land , ultimately their clients provide the location for the architecture . for their own remodel of an entire floor in the historic polson building , miller hull is proud to have preserved and restored a piece of seattle’s history for continued use .
oil seed crushing – what ? chris ketchell , hull college local history unit information sheet , 1997 .
miller hull took great care and effort to salvage the majority of the existing finishes , equipment and furniture from the existing space prior to demolition . to do this , an extensive audit was completed that catalogued each item for reuse . priority of salvage was given to miller hull staff , family and friends before soliciting others in the community . over 40 unique items in addition to light fixtures were donated . items included bookcases , shelving , casework , appliances , wall coverings , trim work and more .
david miller is a fellow in the american institute of architects . in 2010 he received the seattle aia chapter gold medal . professor miller has lectured at over 20 universities in the united states and abroad and has been the pietro belluschi distinguished professor in architecture at the university of oregon and the kea distinguished visiting professor at the university of maryland . miller has directed the architecture in rome program on five occasions and the mexico city program in 2013 . professor miller’s book , ‘towards a new regionalism : the environmental architecture of the pacific northwest , was published in 2005 with the university of washington press .
a 19 th century engraving of the vulcan oil mill in hull , where many mill components were fabricated .
a typical 19 th century oil mill site , which is thought to be hull ( p gibson collection ) .
( editor ' s note : this story has been changed to say hull was 68 , not 69 . )
the miller hull partnership is a west coast architecture firm with design opportunities throughout the u . s . and across the world . we pursue – and passionately serve – clients who share our values surrounding community engagement , progressive environmentalism and social infrastructure . contributing to a better world through design with clients who share our aspirations for a more sustainable future is nurtured and reinforced at the miller hull partnership . our process engages everyone involved , mining deeper insights and pushing concepts further in the creation of exquisitely detailed buildings that connect people , place and landscape .
he and his longtime business partner david miller received the washington state university alumni achievement award in 2006 and jointly earned the aia seattle medal of honor in 2010 .
this staple trade was originated between hull and russia , probably in the fifteenth century – in 1400 seed - oil was imported into hull – and was one chief cause of the commercial mission of the first ambassador from ‘the emperor of muscovy’ to england , osep napea , who came to hull en route for london in 1577 , in order to establish commerce between the two nations . the seed - crushing trade is largely the subject of an association or combine , which includes hull and other places . the export of linseed oil from hull in 1906 was 3 , 089 tons ( including 1 , 289 tons to australia ) , and of cotton oil 11 , 453 tons . the agricultural seed trade also flourishes in hull’ .
the trade and shipping of nineteenth century hull . joyce m bellamy , east yorkshire local history society . 1971 reprinted 1979 .
there also will be a celebration in seattle of hull ' s life . details will be announced when they are confirmed .
it fulfills another characteristic of seattle , and that is a hard - edged forward - looking sensibility . miller hull was thrilled to work on a project that was so aggressive in its environmental and sustainability goals for a very simple reason .
this one building can change the game for everybody ,
says court .
hull ' s work received numerous awards and honors , and the firm won the 2003 aia national firm award for sustained design excellence .
hull’s industrial history has been dominated by two industries – the timber trade , which i have covered briefly in the page of that name on this website – and oil seed crushing , from which many subsidiary industries have come . in 2012 those two industries still provide a huge contribution to hull’s economy , and historically hull may never have achieved the success as a port that it has enjoyed , had these industries not been based – and chosen to remain – in hull . the subject deserves a book - such is its complexity - but i can only scratch at the surface in this short page , which i hope gives an over - view of the oil seed - crushing industry in hull .
the wood flooring has been reused from miller hull’s previous tenant improvement more than ten years ago . during that project , the wood flooring was acquired as salvaged lumber from the southeast united states . the design and construction team took great care to reuse this material for the current tenant improvement , which saved a great deal of new flooring material .
flora of the east riding of yorkshire . eva crackles ( ed . roger arnett ) , hull university press and humberside county council . 1990 .
few studies have been made that enforce the importance of seed crushing to hull , as little or no detailed records have survived from the companies involved . what follows is a summary , compiled mostly from secondary sources , of the massive influence this trade has had on the city and port of kingston upon hull . oil has always featured highly in the commercial history of the city ; rape and other seeds were imported into hull in the middle ages , and the only purpose for this was to extract the useful oil by crushing . in 1969 , the compilers of the victoria county history for hull noted :
blundell’s corner , the present address of the hull daily mail is named after henry blundell’s color works , he also was a seed crusher in the groves .
- ( 2011 - 2012 ) chandler chamber of commerce named amy miller of haley elementary the educator of the year . amy teaches children with autism at haley elementary . students flourish thanks to amy ' s passion , patience and persistence .
the main range of buildings in the lion oil mill , wincolmlee , in the 1980s . this is one of the very few remaining oil mill buildings left in hull .
hull was a speaker , and served on regional and national design juries — including for the national aia honor awards — and had been president of the seattle architecture foundation .
bocm - the british oil & cake mills was formed in 1899 by the amalgamation of a number of different oil seed crushing mills , including six that were based in hull .
our firm represents the past , present and future of design from our founding partners’ experience designing simple buildings in the peace corps and earth - sheltered , passive solar buildings in the 1980s , to recent accomplishments such as the bullitt center – and for discoveries yet to be made . the miller hull partnership is a consistent and influential contributor improving the built environment by pushing the limits of current thought and advancing the cause of sustainable design .
cottonseed – once mostly imported from egypt and the east indies – trade increased from just 15 ships into hull in 1860 , to 110 in 1870 , and continued to increase thereafter .
through forterra , an organization that miller hull has long supported through financial and volunteer work , the firm found a piece of undeveloped shoreline on anderson island in puget sound . the habitat exchange helped forterra to secure 18 - acres of land that supports a delicate ecosystem of marine forest that is home to fish and wildlife including salmon , marine mammals , and shellfish . a system of trails provides public access to this important ecosystem in puget sound .
in a desert city known for sprawl , miller hull partnership has delivered an award - winning development that goes to show density can be a good thing . the safari drive condominiums in arizona recently rocked the 2010 builder’s choice awards , winning the “project of the year” as well as the award for “condos - for sale grand . ” the modern mixed - use project incorporates smart passive solar design , locally manufactured materials , passive cooling , and drought - tolerant landscaping .
a history of the county of york east riding volume i the city of kingston upon hull . edited by k j allison . oxford university press for the institute of historical research , 1969 .
funded through a private grant from the kendeda fund , the living building at georgia tech is expected to become a living building challenge 3 . 1 certified facility – the built environment ' s most rigorous and ambitious performance standard . the project’s design and build partners include architects lord aeck sargent in collaboration with the miller hull partnership , construction manager skanska and design team consultants : newcomb & boyd , pae consulting engineers , uzun + case , biohabitats , andropogon and long engineering .
the two men met while studying architecture at washington state university in pullman . after school , hull served four years in the peace corps in afghanistan , where he designed more than 100 sustainable schools .
hull was and still is a place full of all kinds of different professions , abilities , hobbies and people with the stamina to achieve and make their way . today online universities that offer online degree programs make it easy to still learn the professions that started this community . whether jump starting a marine business or seeking the environment through fishing and wildlife programs online universities cater to the surrounding area of the hull and further .
the goal of the project was to create a flexible open workplace that fosters collaboration and innovation , reflects the highest environmental design standards , highlights the site’s unique attributes , is timeless , and provides a place where miller hull’s diverse clientele can be inspired to collaboratively create unique solutions that are specific to their needs and are reflections of their identities . the design is simple and without the pretense of being on the cutting edge . the design refrains from large - scale gestures , playful lounge zones , or ad hoc décor .
in its statement , the firm said hull had a “natural ability to grasp the essence of a project and translate it into an inspired physical manifestation of client values . ” he drew his design concepts by hand .
the seed crushing industry was located mainly in mills along the banks of the river hull – in wincolmlee , church street and bankside to the west of the river – and dansom lane , lime street , the groves , wilmington , stoneferry and holderness road in the east . the river hull was a well - established means of transport for the importation of raw materials by ship , as well as the export of any finished products . the earliest oil mill in hull of which we have any definite evidence however , was built near the corner of lowgate . constructed in 1740 , it was part of the business empire of hull bankers pease & co . , and was a windmill that was mainly used for crushing rape - seed . other seed - crushing mills existed even earlier , including a 17th century sugar mill at trippett , which converted to rape - seed in 1673 .
the bullitt center in seattle is touted as the greenest and most energy - efficient building in the world , which it may well be , and is a natural selection for the metal architecture design awards winner in the sustainability category . designed by seattle - based miller hull partnerships , the 50 , 000 - square - foot , six - story building is designed to meet the living building challenge . this establishes rigorous requirements for energy consumption and other elements of green construction , creating a building that has a negligible impact on the environment .
the construction of more and more seed crushing mills along the banks of the river hull , where they could take their raw material from barges , had begun with a single horse powered mill , but by 1840 there were ten wind - powered mills , and by 1878 that figure had increased to 45 . ‘by the 1860s seed crushing was well - established in hull and in the subsequent decades it drew its supplies from further and further afield . by the end of the century imports of linseed came not only from russia but from the east indies , the argentine , canada , and the united states ; there was considerable trade for example between hull and the river plate before 1914’ ( vch ) .
the industry grew to such an extent that in the inter - war period it dominated east hull , where the british oil & cake mill even had its own model village ; their mills were destroyed in the second world war . by the 1920s hull had become the largest seed crushing and oil extracting centre in the world . in 1923 alone almost 700 , 000 tons of oil seeds were imported into hull consisting of linseed 165 , 830 tons , soya beans 74 , 566 , egyptian cottonseed 221 , 791 , other kinds of cottonseed 62 , 799 , rape seed 41 , 246 , castor seed 14 , 527 , palm kernels 87 , 204 , ground nuts 9 , 579 , sunflower seed 5 , 356 .
by 1974 there were four oil refining firms still operating in hull ; chambers & fargus in wincolmlee ; croda premier oils ltd at stoneferry ; earl stanley hamilton ltd , air street ; and john l . seaton & co . ltd , bankside .
the process employed various methods of crushing and pressing , to extract the vegetable oil for use in a long list of products . this in turn gave rise to subsidiary industries all around hull , such as the manufacture of paint , soap , linoleum , margarine and edible fats – e . g . cooking oil , with the residue often used for animal feed in the form of cattle - cake , and also manure , and fertiliser . several of these industries remain important to hull’s economy today .
working with a site less than five acres large , miller hull managed to fit a total of 165 condominiums ranging from 800 - 2 , 300 square - feet , 17 , 000 square - feet of live work lofts and 10 , 000 square - feet of retail space and amenities . five different multi - level buildings introduce a new , very livable density to an area located in the “midst of consumptive sprawl . ” the project is considered self - sustaining ; a vibrant mixed - use urban neighborhood that is perfectly suited for living and working . outdoor spaces create welcoming private getaways while bigger areas facilitate for more public gatherings .
miller hull’s portfolio includes a slough of award - winning public projects , including sustainable architecture dating back to the early 1980s . more recently , there are projects like the lott clean water alliance regional services center , which was included in this year’s aia committee on the environment top 10 green projects list , the striking 1310 union condominiums the seattle center fisher pavilion ( also a cote top 10 honoree in 2003 ) , the willamette river water treatment plant in portland , and the tillamook forest center west of the city . their upcoming design for the columbia springs environmental education center , also in vancouver , is on target for net - zero energy usage , producing more energy than it consumes .
in 1876 there were 33 oil and cake merchants in hull , as well as four oil press , hair and bagging manufacturers , and 12 oil refiners - including blundell , spence & co ; connell bros . , storry , smithson & co . , sissons bros & co . , stuart & gregson .
hull designed houses in the san juan islands ; schools including the open window , epiphany , bertschi and bush in seattle ; conibear shellhouse at the university of washington ; the science building and the university center for performing arts at seattle pacific university ; discovery park visitors center ; and fisher pavilion at seattle center .
vancouver community library fits nicely into this tradition . like tha ' s work , it has moments of grandness , particularly the view out over the multistory atrium . if it ranks a close second to tha ' s library in overall poetry of form , vancouver is those buildings ' equal in its sustainability and its open , naturally lit environments . and as with miller hull ' s past portfolio , this feels like a simple , clean - lined work of architecture that was squarely and generously designed with its occupants in mind . and though the coating on the windows can , depending on the time of day , sometimes diminish this effect , the vancouver library uses transparency to communicate and reveal a kind of simple social machine , with levels of activity available to see for anyone passing by .
they survive in increasingly small numbers however - many having been demolished as recently as the 1980s , 1990s and 2000s – and sadly they continue to be demolished despite their importance as part of hull’s rich architectural heritage . it seems very likely that before too long the origins of this most important of industries will have been completely wiped out .
the goal of the project was to create a flexible open workplace that fosters collaboration and innovation , reflects the highest environmental design standards , highlights the site’s unique attributes , is timeless , and provides a place where miller hull’s diverse clientele can be inspired to collaboratively create unique solutions that are specific to their needs and a reflection of who they are . the design is simple and allows for unencumbered design thinking by avoiding large - scale gestures , playful lounge zones , or ad - hoc décor . instead , the design enhances the outstanding features of the space , such as open perimeter workstations that preserve views and natural light . this allows the project to make their only achievement in the health & happiness petal with the civilized environment imperative . new skylights bring daylight to the center of the space where existing walls could not be changed . existing exposed heavy timber structure and salvaged wood floors combine with a neutral color palette to ground the space in nature .
the hull port & commercial handbook , published in 1995 , listed the following firms involved in the oil - seed industry : - cargill plc ‘processors of soya beans , rapeseed , linseed and maize germ ; producers , importers and distributors of raw materials for animal feed ; suppliers of refined vegetable oils to the uk food industry . . . ‘ ; hull bulk handling ‘ . . . operates the rail - linked kingston terminal on queen elizabeth dock . . . [ which ] handles the import and export of . . . bulks like aggregates , minerals and animal feeds . . . ‘ ; new holland bulk services ‘… operates a terminal on king george dock [ which imports ] animal feed from the u . s . and south america . . . [ and handles ] . . . bulk related products , including oilseeds and ores . . . ‘ .
white’s 1826 trade directory noted : ‘the manufactures of hull are not so extensive and numerous as those in many of our inland towns . they are however , by no means insignificant . among the principal of them is the expressing and refining of oil , from line , rape , and other seeds , and preparing the residue for the feeding of cattle . the process is chiefly effected by mills worked by the wind and occasionally by the aid of steam . the largest and finest mills in the kingdom of this kind , both for the above - named purpose , and also for grinding corn , whiting , & c . are found in great numbers in and near this place . the mode of refining rape oil was brought to perfection by dr daniel bridges of hull , who also invented the improved system of purifying spermaceti oil , now practiced here with great success . ’
after thirteen years of occupying 14 , 000 sf in the historic polson building in pioneer square , the miller hull partnership decided it was time to rethink their space , starting with the oversized drafting tables they had been using for more than 30 years . in order to stay in the location they loved and grow the firm without adding square footage , it was necessary to reduce each employee’s personal real estate . the reduction in personal workstation area was balanced by large , open meeting spaces augmented with pin - up walls and technology to optimize collaboration . the new studio is a reflection of who they are as design professionals . they are inspired by site , particularly by “the unparalleled views of seattle , elliott bay and puget sound , and the olympic mountains , all of which are the stars of our space , ” according to the design team . “we are programmatically innovative and opted to not follow the trend of giving everyone an adjustable sit - stand desk , but rather provided alternative places for working which encourages people to move around , ” said principal margaret sprug .
the 1997 yellow pages listed seven firms under the heading of edible oils & fats , including anglia oils ltd , edible oil refinery , king george dock ; karlshamns ltd , 220 wincolmlee ; and multifry ltd , oxford street ; and under oil refiners , cargill plc , oilseeds processing division , 45 morley street , john l . seaton & co . ltd , bankside , and shann consulting ( uk ) unit 116 hull microfirms centre , wincolmlee .
from that short passage you will see it is almost impossible to write of hull’s history without mentioning the seed - crushing industry , as its effects have been felt so widespread throughout the city , its industries , mercantile success , and more broadly – its social conditions . for those of you who dislike the new generation of wind turbines appearing on the horizon [ i quite like them myself ] it may surprise you to know that hull was once dotted with large brick - built windmills – many later converted to steam and other power . several of these were located near to the city centre , and often within areas of dense housing , often belching out smoke around the clock , as well as deafening those closest with the thump and grind of the machinery . such industries also caused other nuisances , and in the 17th century the corporation forbid the burning of rape - cakes owing to their ' filthy smell ' .
of this industry , hull is the unrivalled centre , the port having been long and generally recognized as specially adapted to the importation and manufacture into cakes and oil of linseed , formerly brought chiefly from russia , but now mostly from the argentine , and from our colonies and dependencies ; of cotton seed ( largely from india and egypt ) ; and rape seed ; also of carobs , etc . , for cattle foods , from cyprus , and other sub - tropical localities .
the industry reached its peak in the late 19th century , and it was during that period that many of the large oil mills were constructed – many of which survived until very recently . as such , the seed crushing industry was a huge employer , and literally thousands of locals made their living in the mills or the many associated industries . the workers even had a pub named after them - the seedcrushers arms in francis street - which is shown and discussed in the lost pubs of hull pages on this site .
the same 1826 directory listed four seed crushing companies in hull . by 1838 there were 13 , 19 by 1846 , and in 1858 there were 28 . in 1867 there were 24 , 36 in 1876 , 32 in 1885 , 35 in 1897 , 24 in 1905 , and thereafter a steady decrease in numbers . in 1914 there were 14 , in 1926 just 10 , and in 1939 only six . following the second world war the numbers were even lower , with just four seed - crushing companies listed in 1954 . this does not indicate a reduction in the trade itself , but that a number of much larger mills had replaced many smaller ones .
following the rigorous selection process to find the six contenders for the 2013 wan sustainable building of the year shortlist , our expert judging panel , consisting of mikael stenqvist ( white arkitekter ) , ann marie aguilar ( arup associates ) , cees van der spek ( ovg real estate ) , huib van zeijl ( equipe ) and mark reddington ( lmn architects ) , had the difficult task of selecting a winner from their midst .
each shortlisted entry tackled the challenge of sustainability in a different way , creatively solving specific problems to their varying sectors ranging from education to commercial to healthcare . from saving energy in a hospital in norway to a desert learning centre in the united arab emirates facing extreme exposure and temperatures tackling water consumption . but in the end , there could only be one winner .
. built in seattle , united states and initiated by earth day co - founder denis hayes with sustainability at the forefront of the design process from the off . the result is a design that has tackled the living building challenge and come out the other side with a net zero building certification ; the scheme is a shining example of sustainable building for the future . ann marie aguilar of arup associates commented that : “this building really sets the debate about how to design buildings to be truly sustainable and make the lowest possible impact . ” and we couldn’t agree more .
the bullitt center is the first leasable market rate commercial structure that meets the targets of the living building challenge to the net zero energy standard , including adhering to the omission of all toxic chemicals that appear on the prohibited ‘red list’ and also ensuring ‘one hundred percent of the project’s energy needs must be supplied by on - site renewable energy on a net annual basis’ . our panel really thought it shone through as an inspiration to future projects aiming for this level of sustainability , and as mikael put it , ' this building really tells a story ' .
having met the entire annually targeted energy production in just seven months , the project was a clear success . the overhanging photovoltaic rooftop as well as the facade provide the energy for the entire building , supplying 230 , 000 kwh / year . the end result being that the overall energy usage is around 20 % of that of the other buildings of its type in seattle .
being a leasable building , the aesthetic design of this project would also be an important part of its overall finish , and it did not leave the jury wanting . considering that part of the living building challenge entails that materials be locally sourced from a renewable supply , the finished project included a stunning ‘irresistible stair’ rather than an elevator , operable floor to ceiling windows and heavy timber framing throughout . the result was surmised by mark reddington : “attractive design and user experience both inside the facility as well as its relationships to context as an urban building . ”
the overall feeling was that this project has creatively looked at sustainable building in the context of its environment of the city of seattle , taking into consideration the local climate and the materials of that area . the team had obviously pulled together on this project and mark redddington commented : “there was obviously a deep commitment and collaboration from client , public agencies , and full multidisciplinary design team to making important new discoveries for sustainable design . ” and all in all , this project was the clear favourite as being the project that had most effectively , and in keeping with context , no compromise on design elements to create something sustainable for the future .
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the bullitt center features the “irresistible stairway , ” glass - enclosed stairs with panoramic views to entice people to climb .
seattle — when an office building here that bills itself as the world’s greenest officially opens later this month , it will present itself as a “living building zoo , ” with docents leading tours and smartphone - wielding tourists able to scan bar codes to learn about the artfully exposed mechanical and electrical systems .
tenants have already begun moving into the six - story bullitt center , in advance of its grand opening on earth day , april 22 . with the final touches nearly complete on the 50 , 000 - square - foot office building at 1501 east madison street , at the edge of the city’s capitol hill neighborhood , its occupants are about to embark upon an unparalleled — and very public — experiment in sustainability .
once settled in , they will be guinea pigs in a $ 30 million living laboratory distinguished by its composting toilets , strict energy and water budgets and a conspicuous lack of on - site parking . to earn its environmental bragging rights , the bullitt center must complete a rigorous one - year certification process called the living building challenge , which requires both water and energy self - sufficiency , among a list of 20 demands .
provided that the building clears a few remaining regulatory hurdles , all its water will be supplied by rainwater collected in a 56 , 000 - gallon cistern before being filtered and disinfected . a rooftop array of photovoltaic panels , extending beyond the building like the brim of a graduation mortarboard , will produce an estimated 230 , 000 kilowatt - hours a year , hopefully just enough to break even for a building that is 83 percent more efficient than the city’s typical commercial site .
the project’s backers , led by the environmentally minded bullitt foundation , hope to demonstrate that a carbon - neutral office space can be commercially viable and aesthetically stunning without saddling its occupants with onerous demands . and they are determined to make their strategy and performance so transparent that it can be easily copied .
instead of tucking the mechanical and electrical rooms out of sight , for example , large plate glass windows will showcase the engineering , while quick response codes tag points of interest so tourists can use their smartphones to learn about individual elements , according to chris rogers , the chief executive and partner of the developer , point32 .
a kiosk in a double - height exhibition space will also let visitors access real - time measurements like the building’s indoor air quality , energy consumption , photovoltaic power production and water levels . the bullitt center , in fact , will be one of the planet’s most closely monitored commercial buildings , allowing managers to single out energy hogs down to the level of individual plugs , said robert b . peña , an associate professor of architecture in the integrated design lab at the university of washington .
if the building is still the highest - performing one of its kind 10 years from now , said denis hayes , president and chief executive of the bullitt foundation , the experiment will have failed .
the living building challenge’s imperatives go far beyond those of the better - known leed ( leadership in energy and environmental design ) certification . its yearlong vetting process is designed in part to avoid the embarrassment suffered by some leed certified buildings , where seemingly efficient buildings have proven to be much less so after the buildings have been completed and undergone energy audits .
while a number of states , counties and municipalities provide tax credits and fee reductions for leed structures , only a few municipalities have followed suit so far for the newer living building challenge . nevertheless , proponents say that avoiding energy and water utility bills for 250 years , the expected life span of the bullitt center , offers its own compelling financial incentives .
the living building challenge has 143 registered projects in 10 countries . its process is so demanding , however , that only three buildings in the united states have been fully certified so far ; the largest of those is an eighth the size of the bullitt center .
so much potential energy savings has already been wrung out of the building in its construction that nearly half of the expected electricity use will depend on what’s plugged into the outlets . every tenant will be expected to abide by strict annual usage budgets or pay for overages , but extra - fine electrical circuits and detailed outlet metering can help diagnose problem spots down to , say , a malfunctioning printer .
mr . hayes is keenly aware that the building’s success depends upon its attractiveness to tenants , and his development team is promoting several distinctive features , including the fact that it may be the first heavy - timber midrise building erected in seattle since the 1920s . the timber and steel frame uses native douglas fir certified by the forest stewardship council . the exposed wood ceilings on the 13 - foot - high upper floors also contribute to an airy loftlike feel , with exposed steel cross braces and 10 - foot - high windows that maximize daylight .
another signature feature , a glass - enclosed stairwell that mr . hayes has named the “irresistible stairway , ” rewards climbers with panoramic views of downtown and puget sound . the behavioral carrot , aimed at promoting both health and energy conservation , has been juxtaposed with the stick of a slow and less conveniently sited elevator that requires key card access . with advertised lease rates of $ 28 to $ 30 a square foot , the building is in line with comparable properties .
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it helps that a group of enthusiastic early adopters has already leased more than two - thirds of the available office space . that group includes several organizations and companies heavily invested in the project’s success : pae consulting engineers , the building’s lead engineering firm ; the developer point32 , which will manage a 40 - desk co - working space ; the integrated design lab , which played a major consulting role and will have both office space and a 40 - seat classroom ; and the international living future institute , which since 2006 has run the living building challenge .
the pioneering spirit resonates strongly with other tenants - to - be like michele gomes , co - owner and chief creative officer of interchange media art productions , a video and television production company .
ms . gomes and her business partner are leasing two desks on the fourth floor co - working space , a “huge move up” from her company’s current office in a windowless and perpetually cold basement , she said . even more important , ms . gomes is eager to work among peers who have similar sustainability values . “to have like - minded people sharing the same space , to me that’s going to be extremely inspiring , ” she said .
intentional futures , a technology and software - focused design and engineering studio founded by former microsoft executives , has leased the 7 , 900 - square - foot fifth floor . ian sands , a co - founder and managing partner , said the 20 - employee company had outgrown its office directly beneath a local broadcaster’s helipad and was looking to tap into the creative energy emanating from the city’s bustling pike - pine corridor .
although mr . sands admires the decision to forgo a traditional garage , he said the lack of on - site parking , coupled with seattle’s inadequate mass transit , could create commuting headaches for employees who live in the city’s eastern suburbs and who may “have to figure out other methods or places to park nearby because they will have to drive . ”
mr . hayes said the decision to not have on - site parking generated “spirited conversation” during the design phase . instead , a space about the size of a three - car garage will be reserved exclusively for bicycles , while commuting bicyclists can wash away the morning sweat in one of the rainwater - fed showers on each floor .
steve whitney , the bullitt foundation’s program officer , said he had adapted to his new work space by buying a second bike .
on a partly cloudy afternoon in early march , mr . whitney , mr . hayes , and three other bullitt foundation employees gathered in a glass - walled conference room in their sixth floor office to offer some admittedly biased first impressions .
less than a week after moving from a nearly windowless brick carriage house , the employees were still amazed by the spectacular views , ample natural light and almost distracting quiet . the composting toilets , though , remained a source of curiosity even for them , and early discussions have centered on the pulse of foam that cascades down the inner rim of each funnel - shaped bowl to expedite its delivery to the waiting composters below .