Seattle (July 27, 2011) – Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN) is pleased to announce their role as landscape architects for the Phase Three of UW Medicine’s research hub in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, which broke ground earlier this month. 

UW Medicine’s South Lake Union development is a multi-phase design and construction project that supports the UW’s internationally renowned biomedical research efforts.  Located on the adjacent west block of UW Medicine’s existing South Lake Union research complex, Phase Three will include up to three buildings totaling nearly 542,000 square feet of laboratory and office space, and 47,250 square feet of outdoor space.  Slated for completion in spring 2013, the first building breaking ground is a 183,000-square-foot LEED silver laboratory building that will be home to more than 400 researchers and includes 19,090 square feet of outdoor space.

Phase Three of UW Medicine’s South Lake Union project maintains the vision established in the Phase Two complex; it proposes a design that will meet the programmatic needs of a highly regarded biomedical facility, reflect the goals and identity of UW Medicine, bridge strong connections between neighborhood and campus communities, and provide friendly and green pedestrian streets.

“The landscape concept is simply about celebrating life, a nod to UW Medicine’s purpose. The East-West corridors are bursting with lush, fertile, planted spaces, while the North-South corridors are filled with air and light,” says Jennifer Guthrie, lead landscape designer and partner at GGN.  “We are thrilled to be a part of a project that will not only contribute to the experience of top health professionals and medical students, but also contribute to a venue which invites the South Lake Union community to engage with the UW Medicine community.”

The landscape design of Phase Three is influenced by the successful layout of the adjacent block of the UW Medicine South Lake Union research complex landscape, which was also designed by GGN. A mid-block crossing allows the new development to continue the verdant, east-west passageway established previously.

Subtle level changes will create a sense of anticipation upon arrival to the Phase Three complex. Light will bounce off of faceted building façades into the central space below, where water features that utilize reclaimed runoff, will enhance a feeling of immersion in reflections and light. This active space will invite the neighborhood into the heart of the Phase III complex and offer gathering places for community members, faculty and staff.

Along 8th Avenue, Phase Three will mirror the wide, tree-lined sidewalk first established with Phase II. The tree-lined 8th Avenue will anchor Phase III’s axial relationship with Denny Park to the south.  Stately street trees are proposed along Dexter Avenue to reflect its importance as a main connection between South Lake Union and downtown Seattle.

UW Medicine’s Phase Three project team includes Vulcan Real Estate (developer), Perkins+Will (lead designer and building architect), Sellen Construction (general contractor), and the National Development Council (project financing).

About UW School of Medicine:
UW School of Medicine trains health professionals and medical scientists, conducts research to improve health and prevent disease worldwide, and provides primary and specialty care to patients throughout Seattle/King County and the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) region. UW Medicine includes: Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, Valley Medical Center, UW Neighborhood Clinics, UW School of Medicine, UW Physicians, and Airlift Northwest.  UW Medicine also shares in the ownership and governance of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance with Seattle Children’s Hospital and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and shares in ownership of Children’s University Medical Group with Seattle Children’s Hospital.

UW School of Medicine has major academic and service affiliations with Seattle Children’s Hospital, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the Veteran’s Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, and the VA Hospital in Boise, Idaho.  The UW School of Medicine has been ranked #1 in the nation in primary-care training for the past 18 years by US News & World Report.  It is the top public institution for receipt of biomedical research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and second among all institutions for NIH funding, public and private.  UW Medicine’s 2,000 full-time faculty and nearly 5,000 volunteer and part-time faculty include four Nobel Laureates, 33 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 33 members of the Institute of Medicine.
For more information, visit http://uwmedicine.washington.edu. 

About Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN):
Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN) is a landscape architecture practice based in Seattle, Washington. Founded by partners Kathryn Gustafson, Jennifer Guthrie, and Shannon Nichol, GGN works throughout the Americas and Asia. Its projects are developed by designers with professional backgrounds in landscape, architecture, engineering, graphics, ecology, and other sciences, express the sculptural qualities of contextual landscape.

GGN offers special experience in designing high-use landscapes in complex, urban contexts. GGN’s landscapes are widely varied in type and scale, but they share qualities as healthy settings for diverse and ever-changing activities. The landform of each space is carefully shaped to feel serenely grounded in its context and comfortable at all times -- whether bustling with crowds, offering moments of contemplation, or doing both at once.

GGN's recent project awards include the prestigious Cooper Hewitt 2011 National Design Award for Landscape Architecture, multiple ASLA National Design Excellence Awards, Tucker Architectural Awards, and AIA/ASLA Honor and Merit awards for Design. GGN’s prominent projects include the Lurie Garden of Millennium Park in Chicago, the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, and the new Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Campus in Seattle.

For more information on Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, please visit www.ggnltd.com.