URBAN +

How harmonious are the need for density, and the desire to preserve urban fabric? At b9 we find the most harmony in thoughtful design impelled by site specific solutions. 

As the need for density in Seattle has grown, so has the pushback in demolishing the current urban fabric of single family homes. It sometimes feels the default strategy for residential development is to demolish everything that exists on a site and maximize the number of units in a multifamily development.  At the beginning of the year, b9 architects examined the history of our work, and we noticed a different, recurring typology: infill buildings that we are calling Urban +. If site and zoning constraints are met, it becomes possible and sometimes financially beneficial to preserve a site’s existing structures while placing new structures in infill positions in current driveways or backyards. Not only does it afford more financial safety to a development project, this typology also allows a developer to maintain existing urban fabric, while adding surrounding density.

This page is dedicated to our on-going research on Urban + strategies, in relation to land use regulations, development, culture, and design.