Museum House design by Perkins & Will
Project: Museum House
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Architect: Perkins & Will
Client: Project Terry LLC (Westbank & OPTrust)
Size: 605,000 square feet
Completion Date: 2025
Structural Engineering: Glotman Simpson
Mechanical Engineering: Reinbold Engineering Group
Electrical Engineering: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates
Civil Engineering: KPFF
Lighting Design: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates
Facade Consultant: RDH (Building Envelope); Maffeis Engineering (Screens)
General Contractor: Graham Construction, Icon West Construction
Glazing Contractor: High Rise Glazing Specialist
Facade Installer: Rivas
Facade System: Pro-louver and Eagon Windows and Doors Co. (Screens)
Cladding: Seiko Architectural Wall Systems (Window Wall)
Glass: TG Glass / XINYI
Windows: Novum Structural Glass (Podium)
Landscape Architect: PFS Studio
Interior Design: Perkins&Will
AV/Acoustics: Stantec
Signage/wayfinding: Studio SC
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Architect: Perkins & Will
Client: Project Terry LLC (Westbank & OPTrust)
Size: 605,000 square feet
Completion Date: 2025
Structural Engineering: Glotman Simpson
Mechanical Engineering: Reinbold Engineering Group
Electrical Engineering: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates
Civil Engineering: KPFF
Lighting Design: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates
Facade Consultant: RDH (Building Envelope); Maffeis Engineering (Screens)
General Contractor: Graham Construction, Icon West Construction
Glazing Contractor: High Rise Glazing Specialist
Facade Installer: Rivas
Facade System: Pro-louver and Eagon Windows and Doors Co. (Screens)
Cladding: Seiko Architectural Wall Systems (Window Wall)
Glass: TG Glass / XINYI
Windows: Novum Structural Glass (Podium)
Landscape Architect: PFS Studio
Interior Design: Perkins&Will
AV/Acoustics: Stantec
Signage/wayfinding: Studio SC
Photograph: Kevin Scott
Adding Artful Dimension to Seattle's First Hill Neighborhood
Located between downtown Seattle and several major medical campuses, Museum House appeals to young professionals and healthcare workers seeking proximity, culture, and community. The 506-unit, mixed-use rental residential development blurs the line between art and architecture through a series of shifting screens on the building’s facade that recreate works from the neighboring Frye Art Museum’s collection, allowing residents to interact with the building’s exterior animation. The structure operates as an ever-changing canvas, spanning two diverging towers joined by a glass bridge.
Located between downtown Seattle and several major medical campuses, Museum House appeals to young professionals and healthcare workers seeking proximity, culture, and community. The 506-unit, mixed-use rental residential development blurs the line between art and architecture through a series of shifting screens on the building’s facade that recreate works from the neighboring Frye Art Museum’s collection, allowing residents to interact with the building’s exterior animation. The structure operates as an ever-changing canvas, spanning two diverging towers joined by a glass bridge.
On an urban scale, Museum House contributes to Seattle’s post-pandemic growth and cultural revival. The design team relocated the main drop-off to a side alley, allowing Terry Avenue to become a pedestrian-centric “festival street” that supports public art, community programming, and a more active streetscape. Retail and dining options within the building further energize then neighborhood, while a ground-floor public gallery expands the block’s cultural footprint.
"Museum House reflects our deep commitment to the integration of art and architecture. One of our core beliefs has always been that great design creates lasting value, and this building is the embodiment of that approach."_Ian Gillespie, Founder, Westbank
The facade of the new towers is reimagined as an enlarged gallery wall, composed of perforated screens with patterns drawn from paintings in the Frye Art Museum.
The facade of the new towers is reimagined as an enlarged gallery wall, composed of perforated screens with patterns drawn from paintings in the Frye Art Museum.
As residents slide the movable screens outside their units, fragments of the art dynamically reconfigure and, when properly arranged, wholly recreate the works on display.
A Living Gallery Wall
Paintings from the Frye’s historic Salon were chosen based on traits that would maximize their visibility in greyscale and at a distance. Selected images underwent an editing process to boost contrast, capture the maximum amount of detail, and ensure that average light values were equalized across all images. Then, each image was converted to a series of custom perforation patterns and cut out of the panels.
Paintings from the Frye’s historic Salon were chosen based on traits that would maximize their visibility in greyscale and at a distance. Selected images underwent an editing process to boost contrast, capture the maximum amount of detail, and ensure that average light values were equalized across all images. Then, each image was converted to a series of custom perforation patterns and cut out of the panels.
Creative Tension
A sky bridge connects the two diverging towers, allowing residents to traverse the void and access the two amenity spaces located in each building. The creative tension formed at the bridge is enhanced by the unparalleled views both to the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges as well as through the glass viewing portals in the floor to the Frye Museum below.
A sky bridge connects the two diverging towers, allowing residents to traverse the void and access the two amenity spaces located in each building. The creative tension formed at the bridge is enhanced by the unparalleled views both to the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges as well as through the glass viewing portals in the floor to the Frye Museum below.
Source: Perkins & Will
m i l i m e t d e s i g n – w h e r e t h e c o n v e r g e n c e o f u n i q u e c r e a t i v e s
m i l i m e t d e s i g n – w h e r e t h e c o n v e r g e n c e o f u n i q u e c r e a t i v e s
TYPE OF WORKS
Most Viewed Posts
Since 2009. Copyright © 2026 milimetdesign. All rights reserved. Contact: milimetdesign@milimet.com