September 19, 2024
Last night, one of SMR’s recent projects, Bloomside, was recognized during the AIA Washington Council‘s Civic Design Awards with an Honor Award for Equitable Communities. Located in Burien, Bloomside is DESC‘s first permanent supportive housing project outside Seattle and was part of the City of Burien’s Affordable Housing Demonstration Program. The development features 95 studio units of permanent supportive housing with supportive services and indoor/outdoor community spaces for single adults who are disabled and formerly homeless. The successful expansion of DESC’s facilities outside Seattle marks a significant achievement, establishing Bloomside as a model for future developments that combine affordable housing with comprehensive supportive services. SMR Associate Megan Espinoza accepted the award on behalf of the project team.
Liz Hallas, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, a juror for the awards program, noted, “This project can serve as a model as a challenging building typology – this team did a really nice job with it. Comprehensive support services are bundled with this, speaking to how we can do this successfully as a community and as a nation as a whole… On the design, some nice outdoor spaces were created for the residents. The composed elevations, certainly using strong colors and the mural of course, to draw people in and be really welcoming. Really a well done project on so many holistic aspects of what is within this building and designed very nicely. Congratulations to the team!”
SMR Managing Principal Douglas Ito, FAIA was also recognized during the event for receiving the 2024 AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award for his outstanding contributions to social responsibility in architecture.
Congratulations to the Bloomside team and all of the winners in this year’s awards program!
