SMR Architects

We are pleased to share the story of Housing Hilltop, a stunning mixed-use development. Our team at SMR worked closely with Tacoma Housing Authority, Brawner & Company, Walsh Construction Co. to deliver this stunning mixed-use development. Click the link below to learn how design-build collaboration led to significant cost savings and faster project delivery. Thanks to SMR Principal Rumi Takahashi for writing this article in partnership with Dale Newcombe from Walsh Construction! https://lnkd.in/gUKFy8PJ

We are so excited about the progress on the Four Amigos - Beloved Community project in Columbia City! This mixed-use development will bring affordable housing, childcare, and community spaces to the neighborhood. Congrats to El Centro de la Raza, Walsh Construction Co., and the project team! #FourAmigos #BelovedCommunity #ColumbiaCity #AffordableHousing #CommunityDevelopment #Homes4AllKC

Join Housing Development Consortium of Seattle - King County for the Seattle premiere of "No Place To Grow Old" on November 20th. This powerful film dives deep into the critical issue of senior homelessness in Portland, Oregon. The showing will begin with a live introduction by director Davey Schaupp and producer Michael Larson, followed by a 45 minute screening and expert panel discussion. After the screening, there will be a post-event networking opportunity at The Traveling Goat. Register today: bit.ly/40jnTbv #seniorhousing #affordablehousing #NoPlaceToGrowOld #Seattle

Congratulations to the City of Renton for receiving its twelfth Governor's Smart Communities Award! The award for the Sunset Gardens project was formally presented to the City by the Washington State Department of Commerce during a Renton City Council meeting earlier this week. Sunset Gardens is a new affordable housing development that serves veterans, persons with disabilities, and seniors, while also including space for the Renton Housing Authority's administrative office. Renton Housing Authority celebrated the building's grand opening last month. We enjoyed collaborating with RENTON HOUSING AUTHORITY and Andersen Construction on this important addition to Renton's Sunset neighborhood. #AffordableHousing #homes4allkc

Join us for the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD)'s 2023-2024 local design workshop showcase on Thursday, October 24th, from 2:00 - 3:30 PM ET. SMR Principal Kate Smith will participate in this webinar and discuss the Sunnyside Outlook project, an ambitious 57-acre initiative aimed at creating an inclusive community in Sunnyside. This project is being designed by an SMR team that includes Kate, Scott, and Whitney. During the webinar, you'll gain insights into CIRD's workshop process from various workshop communities and design partners at TBD Studio. CIRD brings together residents, non-profits, community organizations, and government to tackle design challenges. Don't miss this chance to see rural design in action! https://lnkd.in/gsrRBe-7

We enjoyed African Community Housing & Development (ACHD)'s Journey Home Luncheon this afternoon! Our project team working on the Center for African Diaspora (Doug, Megan, and Whitney) attended and were inspired by powerful speakers, moved by cultural performances, and uplifted by community success stories. Thank you to all who made this luncheon unforgettable! #CommunityStrength #AffordableHousing #Homes4AllKC

Douglas Ito, FAIA, SMR Managing Principal and 2024 AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award recipient, was recently interviewed by Evelyn Lee of Practice of Architecture's podcast, Practice Disrupted. Listen to this episode to learn about his efforts designing 2,800+ affordable housing units, advocating for social justice in architecture, and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Ito's message: Every architect has a voice - use it for positive change! #ArchitectureForGood #SocialJustice #AffordableHousing https://lnkd.in/gYAJk2FC

SMR is proud to be part of a transformative project bringing affordable housing to Seattle. Our design for the former Dumar Substation site at 1605 SW Holden Street will create 21 permanently affordable homes, thanks to a $3M investment from the Seattle Office of Housing. The four-story building will include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units (below 80% AMI) as well as a ground-floor commercial space for community vibrancy. Kudos to all of our project partners: Homestead Community Land Trust, The Cultural Space Agency, and local supporters like HPAC: Highland Park, Riverview, & South Delridge Action Coalition and HPIC. Click the links below for more information on the project. www.tinyurl.com/dumarsite https://lnkd.in/g3FUs3if #homes4allkc

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 (Downtown Emergency Service Center)'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! https://lnkd.in/gZ8XWmu8

Last week, we celebrated the grand opening of Flourish on Rainier! This exciting new affordable housing project, developed by Bellwether Housing and built by Rafn Company, offers 182 units designed with families in mind. The campus boasts a range of amenities to enhance residents' lives, including a generous community space, an outdoor courtyard, and a children's play area. Additionally, it houses office space for Muslim Housing Services and a childcare center operated by Empowering Youth and Families Outreach. Flourish on Rainier is set to become a dynamic part of the neighborhood's fabric. We extend our warmest congratulations to everyone involved in making this project a reality! #homes4allKC #affordablehousing