Schemata Open House + Party

If you haven't heard we are having a party in celebration of our wonderful collaborators and friends. We hope you will join us! 

Be one of the first 25 people at the party and get a free Schemata t-shirt.  

This year, we are proud to highlight the Women’s Funding Alliance and the great work they do for women and children across Washington State. They will give a very brief presentation between 5-5:30.  Join early to learn about WFS. Be one of the first 25 people and you get a Schemata t-shirt. 

If you are an MWBE firm, we invite you to come early (4pm) to learn more about our firm and network with our staff and the other firms before the festivities get fully underway.

We would appreciate your RSVP so we have enough for you to nibble and imbibe.

Schemata Workshop Holiday Party + Open House
1720 12th avenue, Seattle WA
December 6, 2013 
5-8pm

Marking Time at Bertschi School

Bertschi School is a private K – Fifth grade school on 10th Avenue, on the northern slopes of Capitol Hill. Founded in 1975, and steadily growing to its current enrollment of about 235 students, its measured and incremental growth on the Hill is a fascinating example of both architecture’s and landscape’s marking of time as well as the fulfillment of the vision of the school’s founder to support high quality and progressive design.

Located in a primarily single-family home stretch of 10th that has an occasional smattering of apartment and commercial structures, Bertschi’s campus is an engaging combination of converted bungalow homes, a church, Seattle’s first Living Building and a gymnasium by one of Seattle’s most celebrated architecture practices. While such a mosaic of buildings and periods could lead to an awkward ensemble, in Bertschi’s case the seeming tapestry of original uses, periods of construction, and changes in topography are held together quite well by both good stewardship, thoughtful planning, and intriguing juxtapositions of building and landscape.

Brigitte Bertschi, to whom I was briefly introduced to the day of my tour, is of Swiss heritage; a country of outstanding architecture practices and a stunning natural environment. I cannot help but to think her Swiss-ness shaped her sensitivity to place, environment, order, and aesthetics, as is in evidence at the school she runs.

The majority of the campus buildings are comprised of re-purposed single family homes and provide space for a variety of uses, including: administration, facilities, academic, and the school’s former gymnasium. Despite these myriad of new uses, the homes still maintain much of their original charm and appearance. Also changed is the manner in which the formerly discrete and private homes and their yards now interrelate in an all-encompassing landscape; their former isolation now blended into a most delightful recreation and learning environment for the students. The stepping of the landscape -- a heritage of both the prior private uses and need to follow the dropping topography -- creates a series of smaller play areas and interesting vantage points from both high and low ground alike; a variety of terrain that must prompt exploration and play by the students.

These landscapes, following the landscape’s stepping and no longer in need of fences for privacy, are now joined by a series of cozy, in-between spaces nestled between buildings. The spaces form a nice counterpoint as well as a reminder of what has been. The school has had to make the best of what the confined campus they have had to use, leading to spaces appropriately scaled to the student population’s diminutive size. The layering of a crisply defined and varied topography, intimate, alley-like spaces, and variety of building styles lends the campus a pleasing urban character.

In both its landscape and its buildings, the school’s emphasis on environmental stewardship reveals itself. Solar panels are arrayed on the older buildings, while newer structures, the gym and science buildings, have obtained significant sustainable building distinctions. The gym, designed by Miller|Hull, has an abundance of daylight uncommon to this typology and is a LEED Gold structure.

The parking garage it is over is covered in part by the gym, as well as a playfield – a nice use over such a structure, and a clever way to create usable space. Further anchoring the gym to the landscape is a breezeway that contains solar panels as well as a rain water harvesting system and a green roof. The system terminates in an artful ensemble of galvanized cisterns.

The Science Wing is the state’s first Living Building, currently the highest recognition for sustainable building in the US. Designed by KMD Architects, the building has many energy saving and generating strategies, and even provides spaces for urban agriculture. There is also a living green wall that helps with air quality and humidity within the building.

Bertschi School is one of those special Capitol Hill landscapes that is greater than the sum of its parts. Its variety of spaces and character of buildings merits exploration and is highly recommended should you have an opportunity to do so.

Schemata Adds Staff

Things continue to be busy here at SWorks, and we have added staff; two permanent and three contract (whom we hope to keep!). As the point of contact for staffing, I feel very fortunate to have been able to recruit so many strong candidates in a competitive job market.  Regardless of status, all are a great fit for the environment we try to craft in our studio; if you have a chance to meet any of them you will surely agree.

Scott Nye comes to us by way of Scottsdale, where he recently finished his MArch at ASU, and has about 5 years of experience. He is a recent Seattle arrival, and lives in Ballard.

Roma Shah is a recent UW MArch/MLArch graduate, and graduated from the University of Florida (my Alma Mater) with an undergraduate in architecture.  She has several years of experience, and has lived in Seattle for six years. Roma lives in Ravenna.

Jeff Hammerquist hails form Caly Poly San Luis Obispo and was a classmate of Emily Woods (go Mustangs!). Jeff grew up in the Puget Sound region.

Troy LaCombe just complete his BSArch from the UW. He is from Louisiana (hence the French surname?), and lives on Capitol Hill.

Last but not least is Elias Gardner, who is shoring up our east-coast contingent (though we are not sure he is as surly as Jeff Busby or me). He attended Williams undergrad, where he received a BFA, and has a MArch from RISD. He too has several years of experience and recently moved to Seattle and lives in Columbia City.

The Schemata staff, less Christopher Palms who is on vacation. 

Park(ing) Day 2013 Success!

Friend Teresa Evans thinks the Schemata Workshop Pollinator Park is a great place to get some work done. 

Urban Bee Company honey bees visiting the park. 

Even Goose, the office dog, gets in the pollinator spirit with butterfly wings. 

Hello Robin brought us habanero chocolate chip cookies. Look for the new bakery opening on 19th this winter. 

Schemata Employee Christopher Palms enjoying a Hello Robin cookie.  

Employee Domonique Juleon takes a break from park(ing) day organizing to enjoy bagel and lox from partners Eltana. 

Capitol Hill residents stop to take a break in the Pollinator Park. Thanks to Regan and Associates for all the great plants that made the park such a great space to hang out in.  

Capitol Hill PARK(ing) Day - FRIDAY SEPT 20

Come check out these four great sustainability themed PARK(ing) Day sites in the Pike Pine and 12th Avenue Corridors. 

Schemata Workshop, Urban Bee Co, and Eltana are highlighting the awesomeness of pollinators and bee hives. Come make cider with the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict and check out a new map of neighborhood fruit trees. Sustainable Capitol Hill will be promoting the Capitol Hill Tool Library and sharing information about Melrose Promenade. The 12th Avenue Stewards and Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences will be discussing community intersections and choices and the park coming to 12th and James Ct.

Visit all four sites and get a free treat from Eltana, discounts from Vino Verite, enter to win a gift certificate to Cherry Street Coffee, and other fun gifts/promotions! 

PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks.