Culturally Responsive Facility Serving Seattle’s Ethiopian Community

Ethiopian Village | Seattle, WA

Ethiopian Village brings critically needed affordable senior housing to Seattle’s Rainier Valley. Steps away from the Rainier Beach light rail station & other bus lines, this housing development supports connected, active lifestyles for seniors to age comfortably in place. All units have ample natural light, and residents have access to community lounges and beautiful outdoor gathering spaces. ECS operates from the ground floor, providing services for Seattle’s Ethiopian communities to gain a foothold in the neighborhood and navigate the unique challenges immigrants often face in finding stable housing.

COMMUNITY DESIGN

The design for the Ethiopian Village showcases the powerful influence community involvement can have in the design process. Through interactive hands-on community design workshops, we were able to identify and highlight elements of Ethiopian tradition and culture, and in turn reflect those ideas in the design of the building and spaces. We were delighted to have a high level of participation in community design workshops and review meetings, which provides a sense of ownership in the resulting design.

AWARDS

Night of the Stars - Community Impact Award

Client
Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS)

HumanGood

Services
Architectural and Landscape Architectural Design

Sustainability
ESDS (Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard)

Project Size
90 Units | Community Center & Meeting Space | ±75,000 SF

Completion
2023

Contractor
Walsh Construction Co.