Grow Community was awarded the 2013 Futurewise Livable Communities Award

Grow Community was awarded the 2013 Futurewise Livable Communities Award for Overall Excellence in Residential Community Development. 

 "The Grow Community development was selected because it demonstrates the extraordinary value of innovation in sustainable green building, reduced carbon footprint, transit oriented, and creating healthy communities with a strong sense of place. As the only One Planet Community project in Washington State, the second in the nation, and the fifth in the world, your development is pushing the needle of where our built environment needs to be going if we are truly going to create sustainable healthy 

 communities."  

 - Hilary Franz, Futurewise Executive Director 

 

Community Attraction Aims to be Washington State's first LEED Gold Certified Museum

Market Watch - The Wall Street Journal
March 21, 2013, 10:30 a.m. EDT

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Situated on a prominent corner of Bainbridge Island, Washington, across from the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) is scheduled to open its doors on June 14th 2013. The museum will feature its collection of artworks from the Puget Sound region of the United States as well as traveling exhibits.

BIMA is the anchor tenant of the Island Gateway project, a high-end mixed-use development also designed by Coates Design Architects. The building's striking curved form opens up the plaza between the museum and its adjacent building, drawing visitors toward the entrance. "We wanted it to be accessible, approachable, inviting," says architect Matthew Coates.

The south side of the building has a skin that is comprised of 28' tall curved glass, offering a transparent view into the museum. Mounted lights will allow the museum to illuminate at night and act as a beacon that is visible from multiple vantages. Coates Design Architects created curved wood louvers to wrap around the outside of the glass to provide ample shade for the artwork. The louvers are automatically controlled by a light sensor that triggers them to open and close in response to the quantity of sunlight and the sun's movement. On the second, uppermost level of the building, three long strip skylights permit natural light into the main gallery space. Curved baffled light shelves float underneath the skylights, diffusing the light to create a pleasant ambiance.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold designation, certified by the US Green Building Council, is a challenging goal for museums as they are inherently energy-intensive due to such narrow tolerances in regard to humidity and temperature stability. In order to achieve this certification, the following features were included in BIMA's design: geothermal energy, daylighting control, solar panels, use of rapidly renewable and recycled materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and a vegetated roof garden.

Coates Design Architects specializes in sustainable design and green building techniques. The firm's managing partner, Matthew Coates, achieved international acclaim by winning the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Home Design Competition in 2005. Recent achievements include the first LEED Platinum residence outside of the Seattle City limits, the LEED Silver Bainbridge Island Kid's Discovery Museum, and the Island Gateway development, targeted for LEED Silver.

SOURCE:  Coates Design Architects

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Art meets science at Bainbridge museum - KITSAP SUN

KITSAP SUN 

By Tad Sooter 

Posted March 15, 2013 at 7:12 p.m.

The new building taking shape in Winslow goes to great lengths (and depths) to increase efficiency.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — Some of the most interesting features of the new Bainbridge Island Museum of Art building begin 400 feet underground.

That’s how deep the deepest of its 14 geothermal wells are drilled, wells that will harness stable temperatures underground to help heat and cool the building. High above, a rooftop photovoltaic array will harvest solar energy while a second-story garden recycles rainwater. Rows of louvers along the curving glass front of the building will open and close automatically to let in light or block out glare.

Gilbert Dominguez works this week inside the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, which is taking shape in Winslow. The museum is scheduled to open June 14.

“It will be a reminder to visitors that this building is alive,” museum Executive Director Greg Robinson said. “It’s changing and adapting to the environment.”

The museum, now in its final phase of construction at Highway 305 and Winslow Way, is being built to showcase energy efficient design alongside Northwest artwork. The structure is expected to qualify for a gold rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, which awards points for energy conservation and use of recyclable materials among other categories. More than 90 percent of the construction materials used in the museum can be recycled at the end of the building’s predicted 100 year life span, architect Matthew Coates said.

All told, renewable energy will offset about one third of the museum’s energy needs. Coates said that figure is “significant,” given the demands of lighting, heating and climate control in a 20,000-square-foot museum.

“Museums are notoriously energy inefficient,” he said.

The green features will soon be put to the test. The museum recently announced a final $1.2 million fundraising push to close out its $15.6 million capital campaign. A grand opening is set for June 14.
As interesting as the design work was, Robinson said he is eager to finish construction and bring in the art.

“We didn’t just set out to build a building,” he said. “We set out to open a museum and a new cultural amenity.”

That quest began in earnest about three years ago when a board of directors formed and launched a capital campaign. The museum completed a first phase of construction 2011, which included an auditorium, classrooms and a small gallery. The spaces were made available for community events.
The full museum was expected to open in the summer of 2012. The date was pushed back a year as donations lagged.

Now fundraising and construction are on track for an early summer opening. Saws and hammers clamored inside the building during a hard-hat tour early this week.

The museum’s most prominent feature is the two-story curved glass facade, which opens a cutaway view of the museum’s interior. The design was the favorite among 12 presented to members of the public during planning meetings.

“I think it creates a graceful presence on the street,” Coates said.

Visitors who enter from the main Winslow Way entrance will be greeted by a reception space, bookended by a gift shop an a “bistro” dining area. The museum’s permanent art collection will rotate through a 1,000-square-foot gallery on the main floor.

A broad staircase leads to a second floor landing with a view of the new Waypoint park and a broad stretch of Winslow Way. The expanse of glass keeps the museum connected to the world around it, Coates said.

“Having a lot of transparency and allowing that connection was one of the most important parts of the design,” he said. “From the outside you’ll be able to see people inside experiencing art, and from the inside you’ll look out and see your community members.”

The second floor art experience begins with the “Beacon” gallery, sized for small solo artist shows. It leads to the museum’s main gallery, a 2,500-square-foot space for traveling exhibits. Movable walls will give curators flexibility to section out the room as needed. Behind the main exhibition room, another small gallery lined with glass cases will display three dimensional pieces and touchable artwork.

Several doors on the second floor open onto terrace overlooking Winslow Way. The patio is bare now, but will soon be outfitted with a rain garden courtesy of island gardeners George and David Lewis, of Little & Lewis fame.

“They’re doing a simple but very beautiful design,” Robinson said.

Other museum spaces are hidden from public view. In the basement, an archive room will store artwork when it’s not on display upstairs. The archive is climate controlled and secured against burglary.

“I like to tell people on tours that they’ll probably never see this room again,” museum Development Director Renate Raymond said.

The museum is still collecting pieces for its permanent display but plans to showcase a diverse assortment of contemporary art representing Puget Sound and West Sound. As for the temporary displays, Robinson said the museum sees itself as a “launching pad for new artists.”

“How wonderful it would be if in 20 years we’re borrowing work from another regional museum that came from an artist who we debuted for the first time,” he said.

Robinson expects to announce the museum’s first offering of programs and exhibits next month as the June opening nears. General admission to the museum will be free and exact hours have yet to be set.
The museum will operate in an “open house” format for the first six weeks after opening, meaning visitors can view exhibits and participate in workshops as they wish. After six weeks the museum will begin selling tickets for some of its lectures, classes and special events.

And after that, “we’re open for the next hundred years,” Robinson said.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/mar/15/art-meets-science-at-bainbridge-museum/?partner=RSS#ixzz2O0BpmyYa

The Waypoint Park Dedication Ceremony - Part 2

The Waypoint Park Dedication Ceremony - Part 1

The Waypoint opens on Bainbridge - Bainbridge Island Review

By RICHARD D. OXLEY
Bainbridge Island Review Staff Writer
March 1, 2013 · 3:08 PM

It took quite a few people to establish Bainbridge Island's newest park, and many of them were present when The Waypoint was opened to the public Friday.

"Look what we did!" said Bruce Weiland to a crowd gathered in the rain to commemorate the official opening of The Waypoint.


Weiland was involved with a steering committee composed of community members dedicated to placing a public walkway on the corner of Highway 305 and Winslow Way. The property was formerly a gas station, but more recently it has been considered a fenced off eyesore that greeted islanders and visitors to the island as they stepped off the ferry.

The Waypoint now occupies the corner, filled with greenery, a walkway, benches and a welcoming feel.

More than 700 people got involved in the effort. And more than 500 islanders made financial contributions to the cause that was added to an $80,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island. Rotarian Jim Chapel guided the process every step of the way. Local contractor PHC Construction volunteered its resources and time to make the project a reality after island architect Johnpaul Jones designed the park.

On Friday morning, the people who made The Waypoint possible gathered with the island community to celebrate its success. The Hometown Brass Band and the Bethany Lutheran Church Brass Band were on hand to jazz up the event. Brownies and ice cream made the experience all the more sweet while people explored the island's newest addition.

"It's not a park, it's really a welcome place," Jones said as he address the crowd. "When you travel and you come back off the ferry boat you can say 'I'm home.'"

Contact Bainbridge Island Review Staff Writer Richard D. Oxley at roxley@bainbridgereview.com or (206) 842-6613.