Creating a destination within a destination, the Mason building pulls inspiration from the history of the surrounding Little Saigon neighborhood, establishing itself as a melting-pot location where people from across the globe can come together to share space and exchange ideas, experiences, and traditions.
The multicultural exchange and sense of personal growth that results from international travel is palpable in the Mason building’s décor. Jazz Brown’s 20-foot-tall mural, titled “Little One,” is inspired by interconnectedness and provides Mason with a sense of shared identity. Tactile, textured walls made of Venetian plaster with grooves hand-etched via bamboo trowels bring elements of the outdoors in, creating a layered experience of the space. Handmade rugs, from India and Seattle, tie the leasing office lounge area together and emphasize the meeting and melding of cultures. Sliding cane screens guard bookshelves and provide a sense of nostalgia, as they resemble the type of room divider that might be found in the cabin of a transatlantic ocean liner. Down the hall, graphic wallpaper depicting bright, colorful stamps from foreign countries envelopes the walls of the mail room, reminding residents that the world is at their fingertips.
Amenities tailored to both active and leisurely endeavors are found throughout the building, referencing the range of activities one might participate in while on a trip abroad, beginning with the ample amount of coworking spaces in the entrance lobby. A perch set against a front window, comfortable lounge seats, large tables, and isolated working pods provide opportunities to stay refreshed and engaged while working from home. On the second floor, a state-of-the-art gym and an insulated karaoke-theatre room encourages residents to stay active or to gather together and embrace their fun-loving, artistic sides.
At the top of the seventh floor, an indoor/outdoor community space grants residents access to postcard-perfect views of Seattle and Mt. Rainier. A peninsula gas fireplace surrounded by comfortable furniture carves out room for telling tales of past travels. The full kitchen with built-in banquette – separated from the patio by sliding glass doors – encourages tenants to cook meals for each other, as a way to experience different cultures. Basket-like light fixtures suspended above the kitchen reference the hand-made wares a globe-trotting traveler might bring home as a souvenir and provide bright, warm tones for the space, solidifying the coziness of residents’ shared home. All of Mason’s thought-out details and cultured design elements combine to make it a place where a person can become more worldly without ever leaving their apartment. After all, when a global village is your home, why would you need to go anywhere else?
