Kirkland Justice Center
Kirkland, WA
In the true spirit of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the City of Kirkland converted a former Costco Home Warehouse store into the new, efficient and centrally located Public Safety Building, housing the police, jail and courthouse.
What was formerly the back of the building, lined with loading docks floating in a sea of asphalt, now serves as a welcoming entry plaza incorporating a rain garden. Rather than fill the steep ramps below the loading docks, the design maintains the surface several feet below the plaza grade to form the rain garden. Rainwater falling along the entry roof gutter is celebrated through a custom-designed series of downspouts and runnels made of salvaged steel beams, visibly demonstrating the water’s journey. Two cisterns positioned prominently at the police entrance collect rainwater for irrigation from the massive upper roof. Reclaimed blocks of concrete cut from the walls of the former tilt-up structure take on a new form as stacked seat walls.
This project inherently conveys a commitment to sustainability and showcases the potential for reuse through transforming an underutilized warehouse into a state-of-the-art, multifunctional municipal building.
Awards:
ASLA, Washington Chapter, Merit Award, 2016
Kirkland, WA
In the true spirit of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the City of Kirkland converted a former Costco Home Warehouse store into the new, efficient and centrally located Public Safety Building, housing the police, jail and courthouse.
What was formerly the back of the building, lined with loading docks floating in a sea of asphalt, now serves as a welcoming entry plaza incorporating a rain garden. Rather than fill the steep ramps below the loading docks, the design maintains the surface several feet below the plaza grade to form the rain garden. Rainwater falling along the entry roof gutter is celebrated through a custom-designed series of downspouts and runnels made of salvaged steel beams, visibly demonstrating the water’s journey. Two cisterns positioned prominently at the police entrance collect rainwater for irrigation from the massive upper roof. Reclaimed blocks of concrete cut from the walls of the former tilt-up structure take on a new form as stacked seat walls.
This project inherently conveys a commitment to sustainability and showcases the potential for reuse through transforming an underutilized warehouse into a state-of-the-art, multifunctional municipal building.
Awards:
ASLA, Washington Chapter, Merit Award, 2016
