Artspace create an urban oasis for low-income artists at Mt. Baker station

"To know that you have a beautiful green roof to go to in this building is a priceless amenity and great for creativity, too." - said Cathryn Vandenbrink, Artspace property manager

Artspace started as a non-profit with an aim to advocate for artists’ needs for project space in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1978. It now owns a $500 million dollar portfolio of buildings in 15 states across the nation.

Originally reusing old warehouses, Artspace expanded in the late 1990s to include development of new, affordable housing for artists in conjunction with studio space. In the past 20 years, cities witnessed these centers not only boost cultural significance, but also revitalize neighborhoods.

Artspace developed of two projects in Seattle, WA, the Tashiro Kaplan and Hiawatha lofts in 2004 and 2008, respectively, but the waiting list for residency quickly climbed to more than 1000.

In 2011 the City of Seattle pledged $3.7 million to support the Mt. Baker Lofts on Rainier Avenue South that included 57 affordable units. Close to the Central Link light rail line, and envisioned as an urban village with commercial spaces, art galleries and gardens for residents.

Why did you choose DIADEM? Cathryn Vandenbrink, Artspace property manager: We met folks at DIADEM for a LEED Certified Artspace project in Everett, Washington in 2011. Even though we were working with a minimal budget for that aspect of the project, DIADEM helped us to achieve an affordable green roof. They went above and beyond; that made us very loyal to them. We insisted on DIADEM when considering the Mt. Baker project

How does your green roof fit in with your community goals? CV: I wish you could have seen their faces. For some, they rented a space before they visited the roof, but when they did…to them it made their low-income housing seem like a million dollar apartment. Its absolutely gorgeous.

There are two huge tables for dinner parties, yoga, meetings, write paint. it is a focal point for the building. It is a place that fosters community. Being in a natural, outdoor setting in an urban environment is a rare thing. To know that you have a beautiful green roof to go to in this building is a priceless amenity and great for creativity, too.

What was your vision for the roof? John Putre, SMR Architects: We wanted an extensive green roof but one that still had a good variation of plantings.

Were there any obstacles in completing it? JP: One issue we had in the field was how the green roof met with the adjacent pavers. Originally we planned to have the green roof butt against a planter and railing system, but budget constraints eliminated the planters and rail from the project.

This resulted in an elevation difference of up to 10 inches between the green roof and pedestrian pavers. The gap made the underside of the raised pavers difficult to conceal. We compromised by sloping the roof using rigid insulation as a light, but sturdy fill.