The Surface Remembers

The architectural facade is positioned in this thesis as a responsive and temporal interface that recalls, documents and reveals the site’s cultural and environmental narratives.
The project, which is situated along Seattle’s postindustrial waterfront, explores how surfaces that are both biologically active and materially expressive might mitigate coastal edges that are prone to erosion, salt and urban transformation. The thesis assesses public occupation, infrastructure overlays and environmental flux using a systems based design approach to guide an array of facade interventions that adapt to changing tidal conditions.