Located next to a main artery of Shoreline, Washington, Modera Shoreline embraces its position on the edge of a residential neighborhood to provide an elevated apartment that combines the best of urban and suburban design. The entire design process was accelerated to meet a change in code. However, by taking the time to fully understand the needs, desires, and standards of our client, we streamlined the process, leveraging the limitations of the site to create an apartment complex that’s fits the needs of both residents and the owners. Facing a residential zone, Modera Shoreline’s frontage avoids overpowering the single-family homes across the street through deliberate adjustments to the building’s volumes; The quick transition between zoning codes and building types pushed us to break down the scale of Modera Shoreline as much as possible. A three-story volume on one side of the site steps back to create townhome-like units for some residents, complete with private patios and a green-roof garden. In the very center, an active courtyard with an open side breaks up the overall mass of the building while maintaining an urban edge. The open courtyard wall increases access to sunlight for the interior-facing units that overlook the courtyard, an important consideration for the Pacific Northwest. Unit balconies, brick, and toned fiber cement panels, differentiate the building's mass, breaking up the building while highlighting the entry experience and connecting it to the rooftop. Due to the slope of the site, the main lobby entrance is a grand, two-story volume with a fire lane running parallel to facilitate easy move-ins and move-outs. At the top of the building, a double-height amenity space connects to 6th and 7th-floor patios, providing residents with barbecues, an outdoor dining space, a double-sided fireplace, and stellar views of Mount Rainier, the Puget Sound, and the Olympic peaks. Transit options surround the site, like the interurban bike trail, a light rail rapid transit center, and a major bus route, making Modera Shoreline a prime location to experience the next evolution of an up-and-coming city.