High-rise living has many benefits, especially for seniors. Vertical communities are compact, and keep residents connected—an ideal environment for people aging in place. Our task was to create an elegant tower that supports the people who call it home with amenity-rich spaces within and easy access to see and explore the city beyond. A curved, glazed exterior for the tower would make the most of the sweeping views of the city skyline and Olympic Mountains beyond. After seeing a fly-through animation created by our visualization team, our client and other project stakeholders were certain too. A solid, cementitious base compliments the style of the surrounding First Hill neighborhood. Our design creates a unique building while enhancing and connecting amenities to be shared by the entire Skyline community, like a 5,000 sq. Ft. Performance hall at the ground floor. Situated on a small site, the building helps create an active, 24/7 community. People can gather in the living room lobby or share stories over a cup of coffee in the corner bistro.

Our lives are richer when we have opportunities to learn, socialize, and explore when we want to—regardless of our age. We applied this perspective at Skyline’s Olympic Tower by creating a dynamic mix of elegant communal amenities, active public spaces, and views to the endless urban experiences offered in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. Over the span of two years, we met with six residents from the existing Skyline community, Cascade Tower, directly adjacent to the new tower. Using their input and feedback from potential new residents, we pinpointed the most beloved features and programs that would best serve the needs of the two communities, like a new performance hall, bistro, multiple dining options, and experiences they can share with friends. With these key amenities in mind, we developed a concept to unite the spaces throughout the entire high-rise and create a journey-like experience for residents. Materials and colors of the Olympic Tower changes as one ascends to higher floors. They mirror the transitions of the Pacific Northwest landscape as one moves between the waters of the Puget Sound and higher mountain elevations. As you enter the building, the lobby reception greets you with prominent two-story spans of wood—recalling the scale of the region’s Douglas Fir trees and separated by a large-scale back-lit custom glass feature that resembles the area’s many cascading waterfalls. Here at the ground level, residents can grab a bite at a bistro (open to the public) alongside their neighbors and catch a world-class performance in a state-of-the-art performance hall. The grand staircase beckons residents and their guests from the ground floor to a gleaming, second-story balcony of glass, where a multipurpose room features a wall-sculpted panorama of the Olympic mountain range, with Mt. Rainier as the focal point. The space is designed to seamlessly transition from a private meeting room to an event space with a retracting wall between a seating space and bar area. The second level also features a fine dining amenity, where residents can take in area views while feasting on cuisine served by Skyline's resident culinary chef. At the top of the high-rise, the Skylounge Club Room offers breathtaking, panoramic views from a community kitchen amenity space. There, residents can watch the sunset over the snow-capped Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sound, and feel a renewed connection to the awe-inspiring landscape of their home. Skyline’s Olympic Tower offers a high-quality lifestyle to Seattle seniors by giving them options to grow, connect, and explore—options as diverse as they are. It’s a dynamic, sophisticated journey that we hope they’ll enjoy for years to come.