Modera Northgate embraces some of the more challenging aspects of its site to strengthen its design identity, increase density, and provide residents with maximized views, revitalizing Seattle’s Northgate district. Located on a sloping hill adjacent to Thornton Creek, Modera Northgate’s design carefully accounted for the watershed that ran under the property. Working together with geotechnical, structural, civil, and shoring engineers during construction, we created a ‘bathtub’ to catch and divert the runoff, protecting the building and preventing damage to the environment. We ensured that the construction practices and materials used throughout the process were protective, or at the very least non-damaging, to salmon in the nearby river, securing the project Salmon Safe Construction and Development Certification. The building itself is a very complex mass. A T-shaped building with a tower on the backside, Modera Northgate has four prong-like arms that create interior courtyards for residents to enjoy. High voltage transmission wires run past the facade of the building, necessitating the inclusion of a notch to step the mass back from the street. This design solution results in a unique identity at both street level and the higher floors of the building. The site’s slope and the stepped-back facade were translated to extra height on the ground floor. Elevating the first level to fit parking underneath the building, at-grade units have terraced patios that feel both private and public, connecting with the street yet retaining a boundary, as they are not eye-to-eye with the street level. The materiality of the building leans upon concrete, hardy fiber cement, as well as wood, creating a unique scale and identity that ties the property to the region it exists in, while remaining affordable. Canyon-like courtyards between the different arms of the building are designed to provide different views to each residential vantagepoint; the sides are misaligned to give the impression of an urban street alleyway, with an assembly of buildings continuing around the corner, to break up the massing. The courtyards themselves are private residential patios, encircled by landscaping for privacy screening. On top of the structure are solar panels, required by Washington’s Evergreen Energy Code Compliance, as well as a shared common space for residents to enjoy when the weather permits. The outdoor amenities located on the green roof – designed to capture rainfall runoff – include BBQs, fire pits, planters, and seating areas that leave space for outdoor movie showings. On the street level, a public benefit park with amenities like benches, a bocce ball court, a dog-relief area, and a public art installation can be enjoyed by anybody during business hours, connecting Modera Northgate to the surrounding neighborhood.