Architects at NBBJ used design and siting techniques to help keep buildings at the UW Bothell campus from overwhelming the setting and the surrounding community. While it may not have the same ring, it more accurately defines the mindset NBBJ brings to every project. After all, says Regge, urban settings are not the only place where the relationship between a building's environment and its form and function matter. And urban aesthetics are not the only response to questions of style and materials. It's not about the characteristics of the outcome, but it's the application of those elements in relationship to the surrounding context.
Perspective is critical.
Let's look at it from 10,000 feet. That's exactly what the Urban Design and Planning Studio did when creating a new master plan for the campus of Edmonds Community College. Instead of working in isolation, it invited the city of Lynnwood, where the college is located, to participate. The city already had designated the neighborhood surrounding the campus the Edmonds Community College activity district, but had not prepared a master plan. However, that philosophy flows through all eight studios at the Seattle headquarters of the world's fifth largest architecture practice.