Inspiration can be found anywhere: a poetry verse, a pithy comment a friend says, on the radio driving in our car, or an inanimate object as we just walk down the street. Well, a walk down the streets of Columbia City is where I found this week’s Moment of Inspiration. The small, funky and eclectic enclave of Seattle, Columbia City is not immune to the building craze that has dominated the local landscape. But it’s here that we find Pax Futura, the first Passive House apartment building in the state of Washington. Passive House building is all the rage right now. And no, it’s not a dig at the famed passive aggressive culture in Seattle, or the Seattle Freeze as it’s known, but an innovative standard for building energy efficiency.
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Seattle Home Remodel with Foundation Replacement.
When considering whether to remodel or rebuild your home, several factors come into play: How old is the property? What other additions have been done to the home? And most importantly, how do you envision living in your dream home?
We began working with our clients in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle in the Fall of 2016, and the project morphed from what was originally a remodel into a remodel, rebuild, and addition.
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SZ Blitz Build Day: The Design Team Builds.
On July 13th, members of the SZ design team gathered to help build one of the projects on the boards, an addition/remodel in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle, for their first of many SZ Blitz Builds. As a design-build team, this new tradition of having a monthly all-hands on deck day gives a chance for overall team-building.
Alfonso Gusman, the Construction Foreman at SZ Build, completely ran the show for the Blitz Build. He managed the delegation of tasks, prepped the site, and made sure it was a productive day for both teams. Shakiba Ahmadi, Architectural Intern, thought that, "It was great how everyone had responsibilities and stuck to them."
Alfonso isn't shy to being the boss of the day; he usually works with subcontractors on site. But with the design team on hand, he was also teaching everyone how to use certain tools and how things get sequenced or put together. Everyone agreed that Alfonso was an excellent hands-on leader and instructor. To this comment, Alfonso responded, "I think we make a great team."
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First Friday Art & Wine: TENACIOUS [Curated by Deborah Kapoor]
The latest art premiere at SZ Gallery is TENACIOUS, a group show curated by Deborah Kapoor, showcasing 19 different contemporary women artists featuring interpretations of perseverance related to the feminine. Works encompass a range of materiality including painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, glass, fiber, cut paper, drawing, collage, embroidery, mixed media, bronze casting, and video installation.
The first artists’ reception on August 3rd from 5 – 8 pm will give viewers a chance to interact with the exhibit, the curator, and the artists in attendance.
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