Living with Art. 325 Westlake is an art-driven project in the rapidly developing South Lake Union neighborhood that honors the historic character and scale of the surrounding neighborhood and welcomes that which is new.
The impetus for the development was to offer a home for MadArt, an art initiative focused on connecting emerging artists with the community in unexpected ways. 325 injects an innovative new life into a nearly century-old building. The Westlake Avenue façade reveals the MadArt mission by featuring the process of creating art with full-height operable glazing, encouraging interaction between artists and pedestrians, and allowing passers-by to step into the space and experience the art-making process. New awnings provide protection, encouraging people to linger. The existing masonry and wood structure addresses its future life with seismic upgrades including steel moment frames, new roof, and upgraded systems. A new mezzanine is bathed in daylight by a large skylight, providing an office space for MadArt.