2023 ENR Northwest Best Projects
Award of Merit, Residential/Hospitality: The Accolade
Photo by Michael Walmsley Photography
The Accolade
Seattle
Award of Merit
Submitted by: Exxel Pacific Inc.
Owner: Greystar
Lead Design Firm: Weber Thompson
General Contractor: Exxel Pacific Inc.
Civil/Structural Engineer: KPFF
Concrete Subcontractor: Albrecht Birkenbuel Inc.
Electrical Subcontractor: Bergelectric Corp.
Plumbing/Mechanical Subcontractor: Ocean Park Mechanical Inc.
Fire Sprinkler: Smith Fire Systems Inc.
With a mix of unit types, diverse interior and exterior amenities, and a unified biophilic design, this 21-story “pedestrian to campus” high-rise for University of Washington students was inspired by columnar basalt in volcanic formations. The Accolade has a gold accented facade and features 5,000 sq ft of outdoor space and rock-climbing walls just two blocks away from campus.
The 238,094-sq-ft project was completed under budget and on time in July 2022. But construction began in October 2020, right in the middle of stringent pandemic protocols. Using an OpenSpace photo documentation system allowed the field team to do site walks with a 360-degree camera and generate captures within minutes that could be shared with ownership and design team members in real time, ensuring quick and easy review and response to any issues.
During construction, the photos helped the team document different stages on each floor and even helped identify preexisting conditions of neighboring properties. Meanwhile, a 3D laser scanner created a preplacement deck scan showing embed overlays with post-tension cable, rebar layout and MEPF sleeves. The scan also generated a heat map that showed high and low areas on a placed concrete slab for floor flatness/levelness analysis.
Crews built mock-ups and involved subcontractors throughout the process to ensure constructibility while also sharing insights on the most cost-effective solutions.
