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Conclusions <br />Design Review Criteria <br />1. Site Design <br />In several ways the design is successful, while in other ways it involves compromise. The <br />relationship between the Library building and the Commons Plaza is strong. The outdoor terrace <br />space effectively integrates the Library building with the Plaza. The Library makes a gesture to <br />present an activated, pedestrian friendly facade to the street frontages through the use of significant <br />windows. Additionally, bold color accents the conservative gray shades of the building, in a manner <br />that will draw the eye toward the building from passersby, announcing the presence of the new <br />Library to both the contexts of busy Tukwila International Boulevard and the calmer Commons Plaza. <br />There are a number of instances where the plan, form and internal organization of the Library <br />building design weakens the integration of the building into its context and is weak in compliance with <br />the Tukwila international Boulevard Design Manual. Specifically, In the Relationship to Street Front, <br />directive 2: to "orient at least one building entry to a major public street," is weakly met. The purpose <br />of the directive, as noted in the Design Manual, is "To ensure that building entrances are a prominent <br />element of the streetscape." The actual Library entry is more symbolic, in terms of facing the public <br />right of way. <br />The architectural solution is to push the entry doors eastward and glass its south facing wall and add <br />a window on its north face, extending the east vestibule out from the building such that it can be <br />seen from South 144th Street. The outdoor terrace serves as a welcoming pedestrian link to that <br />street although the door faces east. This serves to draw more pedestrians to animate the Commons <br />Plaza. The doors shown opening onto the terrace are not for everyday use. <br />Additionally, the massing of the building, with the lowest facade facing west onto TIB and its highest <br />fagade facing east onto the Commons Plaza, visually "turns its back" on the public right of way. The <br />"large unifying roof gesture" offers no "welcoming gesture" to the public streets as is to be expected <br />from what be an iconic public building. The applicant has proposed that the art at the street corner <br />will provide that focal point for the site. The art will need to "hold the corner," that is be sufficient in <br />scale and mass to be apparent against the backdrop of the Library; be visible during day and night; <br />complement the architecture of the Library; be interactive because of the amount of pedestrians that <br />move through and past the site; and be durable. <br />2. Building Design <br />The design presents a cohesive stylistic statement that is responsive to the functional characteristics <br />of the development. The project's design will set a new architectural context for the Tukwila <br />International Boulevard area and will reinforce positive visual qualities for the corridor. The scale is <br />in keeping with a residential context. The site's development takes advantage of the Tukwila Village <br />development plans by orienting its pedestrian amenities towards Building C and the Outdoor Plaza. <br />Secondary emphasis is given to TIB and S. 144th street through internal programming of the library <br />floor plan and the extensive use of glass. A gesture to the prominence of the S. 144th and TIB <br />L13 -017 — Tukwila Library Page 1 18 <br />