Deep energy retrofit for “blue tech” economy hub
For Maritime Innovation Center, Seattle, WA, USA (l-r): Laura Viscovich, Executive Director, Holcim Foundation; Craig Dykers (Chair of Jury), Founding Partner of Snøhetta, New York, USA; Mike Jobes, Catharine Killien, Andrew Simes and Nicole Verkist, The Miller Hull Partnership; and Priya Pawar, Program Manager – Holcim Awards, Holcim Foundation.
Presenting the Holcim Awards 2023 Silver winner for North America - Maritime Innovation Center.
The project is pursuing the Living Building Challenge, and features a large scale PV array to achieve net positive energy, rainwater cisterns and filtration gardens to meet net zero water standards, and operable windows to foster a healthy interior environment.
A deep energy retrofit for a “blue tech” economy hub that reuses much of the century-old heavy timber structure and delivers 105% of the building’s annual energy needs by ground source heat exchange.
By Mike Jobes - The Miller Hull Partnership, Seattle, Washington, USA and
The Maritime Innovation Center – affectionately known as the “MInC” – is designed to be a prominent piece of the reimagined Fishermen’s Terminal, the longtime hub of Seattle’s historical commercial fishing community. At 1,450 square meters, the MInC emerges from a Living Building Challenge-compliant renovation of the circa 1914 Seattle Ship Supply Building. It serves as an incubator for maritime research and development startups that bring the exciting new “blue tech” economy to the site. The building will house maritime sustainability and technology organization Washington Maritime Blue as its anchor tenant – illustrating MInC’s aspirations to combine the region’s time-honored maritime traditions with its modern role as a technology hub.
Project authors
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The Miller Hull Partnership
USA
The MInC honors the cultural and economic significance of Seattle’s maritime history and celebrates its vibrant fishing industry. More than an adaptive reuse project, the building goes beyond these benefits to promote regeneration and net positive operations as a Living Building. It is all-electric and is powered by a photovoltaic system that generates 105% of the building’s annual energy needs and combines with a ground source heat exchange from deep geothermal wells to provide highly efficient heating and cooling. Rainwater cisterns and a biofiltration garden that captures rainwater runoff from the adjacent parking area and roadways are used to meet net zero water standards. A large polycarbonate façade echoes the gable structure of the historic building and allows diffuse daylight to enter the building, while operable windows foster a healthy interior environment. Much of the century-old heavy timber structure has been reused in the new construction with existing cladding replaced by a high performance triple-glazed envelope.
Mike Jobes from The Miller Hull Partnership introduces a project that’s driving the blue-tech sector’s transformation by creating a space for the people who are innovating across the industry.
A comprehensive program that showcases exceptional energy efficiency and best practices in sustainable design for the blue-tech industry. Holcim Awards 2023 Jury for North America
Presenting the Holcim Awards 2023 Silver winner for North America - Maritime Innovation Center.
The jury acknowledged the project’s adaptive reuse approach, respecting the form and mass of the existing 100-year-old building while accounting for a comprehensive program that showcases best practices in sustainable design for the blue-tech industry. The exceptional energy efficiency of the project garnered high praise from the jury. The project successfully balanced passive and active systems, effectively minimizing embodied emissions. The jury appreciated the careful consideration of energy efficiency throughout the design, contributing to a reduced environmental impact and enhanced sustainability.
The wise use of materials allowing for natural ventilation and optimized daylight was also highly commended, along with the water treatment and reuse strategies. Furthermore, the jury recognized the project’s success in carefully considering the issue of urban density as the building aims to incorporate different program elements within a relatively compact volume. The creative integration of an innovative space-use program showcased a forward-thinking approach to sustainable urban development, optimizing land use and promoting vibrant and diverse communities.
Holcim Awards 2023
Venice, Italy
Holcim Awards
Zürich, Switzerland
Industrial Architecture
Industrial Architecture
“Driving maritime technology innovation”
“Driving maritime technology innovation”
Architecture Hunter introduces the Holcim Awards 2023
Architecture Hunter introduces the Holcim Awards 2023
Holcim Awards 2023 prize announcement - Maritime Innovation Center
Holcim Awards 2023 prize announcement - Maritime Innovation Center
