PIKE PLACE MARKETFRONT | Seattle, Washington | 2017

Architects: The Miller Hull Partnership 
Client: Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority. 
General Contractor: Sellen Construction

The Pike Place Market is arguably one of the “greenest” neighborhoods in the city. With thousands of people from of all walks of life–rich and poor, young and old, native born and immigrant, local and visiting, and working and shopping–all in a highly compact, complete urban neighborhood. The market exhibits the messy diversity, vitality and compactness of true urbanism and neighborhood sustainability. Expanding on this messy and diverse urban fabric, the new MarketFront creates a web of layered spatial experiences with multiple pathways that builds upon the existing material palette but with greater structural clarity and increased building transparency.

This first addition to the iconic Pike Place Market in over 40 years replaces an existing surface parking lot left vacant after a fire destroyed the Municipal Market Building decades ago. New program elements include a mix of low-income residential units, commercial/retail, vendor day stalls, office space and underground parking carved into the hillside on the west side of Western Avenue of the Market. Known as MarketFront, the project will also be a critical connection point to the new Seattle waterfront to be developed following removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in 2019.

Understandably, the design of an addition to the oldest continuously operated public market in the country brought intense scrutiny and concern for any changes proposed to the city’s treasured landmark, and required the team to work collaboratively to integrate the addition with pedestrian connections to the soon to be revitalized waterfront. Design rationale for the final concept followed from extensive community and stakeholder involvement, Market Commission Guidelines, primary public views, pedestrian circulation patterns, massing studies, parking feasibility, and economic feasibility. Technical challenges were many, as the site is located above an active railroad line within a 100-year old train tunnel.

The responsibility of creating a prominently placed mixed-use building that respects the unique history and character of one of Seattle’s most familiar and beloved city icons was both daunting and exhilarating. The success of the project depended on deep and continuous stakeholder involvement in the design process. Over the past two years the design team held numerous meetings and working sessions with a far-ranging group of stakeholders and multiple constituencies to seek comment and design direction in the development of a Concept Plan. Additionally, it was necessary to coordinate with the Waterfront redevelopment design team of James Corner Field Operations (JCFO), as well as with related public agencies such as the City of Seattle Office of the Waterfront and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).