New Office

by Jim | Oct 5, 2022

New Office

WORK | MIXED-USE

HAVEN DESIGN WORKSHOP

Known for our successful mixed-use designs, we decided it was time to design one for ourselves.

From advising so many on how to maximize one’s investment opportunity, Haven thought it was time to venture into its own mixed-use development. After finding an ideal lot that allows for maximizing the footprint and density, the team got to work on figuring out how six units were going to fit on a less than a 6,000-square-foot lot. Designing for a living, the team had plenty of ideas but even architects have budgets. The result was to create two similar layouts, turn one ninety degrees and pull the two forms apart to create an interior shared courtyard. This allows for a dynamic design on the exterior while having repetitive interior designs to streamline the construction process. Every square inch of the site is maximized and still provides private exterior space for each tenant. Of the six units, five are residences, and Haven’s new workshop is on the corner.

Features include:
Features: 2-story office • 2-story apartments • flats on the third story with great views • shared courtyard • Square footage: 7,200 square feet total, ~1,200 square feet for each unit

PHOTO ALBUM

Construction: Bellingham Builders Photography: Greenwoods Photographic Arts

Terrell Creek

by Jim | Mar 14, 2023

Terrell Creek

WORK/MIXED-USE

Birch Bay Living

Special planning and engineering was required for this apartment/retail building

An endeavor in engineering, the available site had very unstable soil, requiring the building to be built on piles with foam blocks and a floating mat slab. Two separate buildings contain retail on the ground floor and apartments above. A variety of unit types are provided with both townhouses and flats with 2-3 bedrooms.

Features: Two separate buildings • Retail spaces on ground floor • Townhouses and Flats with 2 – 3 bedrooms • 4,500 Sq.Ft. of retail • Twelve apartments at 1,000 to 2000 Sq.Ft. each.

PHOTO ALBUM

Construction: Roosendaal Honcoop Photography: Jim W. Smith

Echo Flats

by Jim | Sep 30, 2022

Echo Flats

WORK/MIXED-USE

Urban Living in Style

Are you a developer wanting to build a multi-family complex while meeting challenging zoning requirements? Our in-house permitting tech and design team is on your side.

Features:
40 studio apartments • 7 offices • A shared covered deck • Natural light throughout, even in the hallways • Square Footage: 22,000 sq. ft. total, 300 – 350 sq. ft. per unit

PHOTO ALBUM

Construction: Faber Construction Photography: Greenwoods Photographic Arts

Fairhaven Gardens

by Jim | Sep 30, 2022

Fairhaven Gardens

WORK | MIXED-USE

New landmark, historic flavor

Sometimes a building can add to the flavor of an entire community. This mixed-use condo and retail complex does just that.

This mixed-used project is located on a prominent sloping city block in downtown Fairhaven which faces three different streets. These site characteristics along with height limits were the driving forces behind the appearance and form of the building. The vernacular of the project blends in well with the surrounding historic downtown Fairhaven neighborhood. Retail and restaurants are located on the street level with two stories of condos above, which step with the slope of the site. A courtyard in the center serves both as a place to gather and allows natural light into all of the units.

Features:
32 condos • 7 retail spaces • 75,000+ sq. ft.

DISCOVERY

The primary focus was to design a beautiful, mixed-use building for retail spaces and condominiums, while blending the architecture to fit the historical aspect of the town.

The 75,000+ sq. ft. structure needed seven retail spaces, 32 condos, and two levels of underground parking.

DESIGN

Because of the history of Fairhaven, we knew it had to be a brick building. After a view analysis, historical photo research, and studying the style and character of the town, we went for a fresh renaissance look.

The retail spaces were given direct access to the main streets. While the tenants roof gardens have a view of Bellingham Bay.

Adding to the attractive, old-style feel, square and arched windows are varied in a sort of modulated pattern, and the entrances to the undergound garage are arched.

Fairhaven Gardens is an enhanced landmark for downtown Fairhaven, adding to the creative vocabulary of the whole town.

BUDGET

At the time, Fairhaven Gardens was one of the most expensive buildings in Bellingham to build. But this was intentional, as up-scale condos would add to the sales value.

Fairhaven Gardens corner retail and condos

DOCUMENTS

We were not involved with construction but we provided detailed documents for the builders.

The city’s height limit was 35 feet. But the code was poorly written since it didn’t address the fact that the building would be on a hill adjoining three streets.

We helped the city better understand how the code impacted Fairhaven as a whole and our project in particular. They appreciated our input and changed the code, setting a precedent for all future building in the city.

PERMITTING

The rewritten code allowed us to maintain the city’s 35 ft height requirements throughout the slope of the hill by incorporating a stepped design. Our efforts to assist the city in changing their building codes helped the permitting process go smoothly for the client.

And because the city was so happy with the design, we passed the design review the first time through.

CONSTRUCTION

As the architect of record, we were fully involved from the schematic design through to the final design development drawings. We also handled all communications with the city. Once our designs were completed, assuring the look and feel of old town Fairhaven, the simple task of completing the construction documents based on our design and reviewing construction was performed by another firm.