Transit Orientated Development

2024

Avalon Redmond Campus was built in a transition zone, existing between large office buildings and smaller scale residential. In response to this, the building steps down in height and mass with two private courtyards above street level that give light and air to the interior of the building and opens the building to the smaller scale apartment buildings to the east. The main entry is through the leasing office which is a part of a two-story element with porte-cochere. The Amenity spaces above provide access for residents to the courtyards. The multifamily project features five stories of residential space over two stories of parking.

Construction Progress

2023

The Meridian Neighborhood of Bellingham is primarily a regional retail center for the city with proximity to the airport and Interstate 5. RMA has designed Park Place to take maximum advantage of the site’s natural beauty. A compact building footprint has allowed for vast landscaping. The integration of a trail system throughout creates a park-like setting that encompasses the building. Amenities include an interior courtyard with a barbecuing area, a parking garage, gym, craft rooms, and social gathering spaces.

MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT

2022

The Woods At Alderwood was built in a commercial residential neighborhood of Lynwood. The project consists of four new residential buildings, 5-stories each, atop a common podium of two levels of structured parking, amenities and retail. The project site area is 300,076 SF containing 500 residential units ranging from studios to spacious 3 bedrooms and 643 residential parking stalls.

Perfect Landing

2022

This one 3-unit townhouse building is in Kenmore, WA. The property overlooks Lake Washington and is within walking distance of the downtown shopping and local businesses. Each unit provides 2-levels of living spaces above each unit’s own 2-car garage. The project was not without its challenges, shoring on three sides of the building provided the depth needed to allow the building to be built within the code’s height limit requirements and allowed us to maximize the total lot for development.

88th Street

2020

Four story residential building located on Nesbit Ave N, just east of the Aurora Street Crossing. This project is designed to serve the expanding population of Aurora Licton Springs Urban Village, by creating a residential community of high-quality and enduring design. The project site area is 15,376 s.f containing 68 apartment units, 44 open one bedrooms and 24 efficiency units. The project design maximizes the use of shared exterior amenity spaces with welcoming comfortable courtyard space and a gathering area on the roof deck for entertaining and relaxation. These gathering spaces have a barbeque, seating, as well as vegetable roof garden for residents to enjoy and connect.

Avalon’s Microsoft campus community enhancement

2019

DevCo Inc Project

2019

This project is 326 units in 9 buildings of affordable housing in Des Moines, WA. Three midrise buildings are facing Pacific Hwy with retail on the street level. Amenities include an indoor pool, gym, half-court basketball court, and the upper floors have views of the Puget sound. The buildings wrap around an outdoor children’s play area in the center of the project.

Avalon’s MILL Creek Community

2019

Micro Housing

2017

Located along Aurora Ave and a short distance from Shoreline Community College, the Interurban Lofts demonstrates a commitment to functional & attractive space. The building is comprised of 11 pods that contain communal public spaces that support adjoining individual single occupant living accommodations with private bathrooms. These micro apartments appeal to students and young professionals who are always on the go.

At Home in Seattle

2015

 In collaboration with Legacy Partners Residential, The Bowman was designed to cater to the needs of the cities growing families and working professionals. Its design incorporates a wide range of units from studios to town homes with street access. The Bowman also features premium amenities including two fitness centers, a dedicated gaming room, and a lush central garden. The roof top deck features a barbecuing area, green house, chicken coop, and dog run. RMA could not be prouder that The Bowman has become one of the most desirable addresses in this ever-growing city.

Small Firm, Big Impact

2015

As one of the largest and most complex developments, Avalon Alderwood stands out as some of the work we are most proud of. Built in 2 phases, this ten-building complex is a mix of mid-rise apartment homes, walk up apartments, and town homes with attached garages. The project also features extensive amenity spaces and a sprawling network of outdoor pedestrian paths. Our project helped provide a link between the natural wetlands to the east and the bustling urban center around Alderwood Mall Parkway to the south & west. 

Pedestrian Oriented Homes

2014

Located in downtown Mountlake Terrace, this development contains seven attached residential townhouses and a street level commercial space. The townhouses have been designed to incorporate pedestrian activity areas with landscape planters, pedestrian lighting, and colored concrete walks. Entries are covered and directly located off the street to reinforce the pedestrian centered design program. The brick facades articulate a horizontal divide between public space on the street level and private space above. Windows, bays, varied roof forms and a variety of exterior cladding also worked to emphasize the building form. The contemporary interiors and street level integration helped the project appeal to young families looking to make the jump from apartment living into single family homes in more traditional neighborhoods.

Transit Orientated Development

2009

 Veloce Apartments won the 2012 Outstanding Design Award for its contribution to the city of Redmond, WA. Designed as a tower podium, with three residential towers situated atop a podium of ground level commercial space. This development exemplifies RMA's long-standing mission to use architecture to create not only livable space, but to have a positive impact on our communities as a whole.

Modern Home, Old Seattle Charm

2008

Located in the heart of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, Canal Station contains 109 luxury condominium units, with 4,000 sf of commercial space integrated at street level and below grade parking. The building offers contemporary living which features a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom units. The design objective was to complement the surrounding neighborhood. Material selection and design detailing were used to reflect “Old Ballard” to create a modern home while retaining the charm and nuances of traditional Ballard architecture.

Townhouses At Bella Terra

2002

Phase II of the RMA master plan for Bella Terra (formerly Village Center) saw the creation of nine buildings comprised of 103 townhouses. Each home’s entry faces a public pathway with alley access to garages behind the units. The entry porches are integrated into the neighborly streetscape that flows seamlessly into the shops, restaurants, and commercial spaces of phase I.

Phase I

2002

Through the principles of new urbanism, Bella Terra (formerly Village Center at Harbor Point) creates a large- scale development with diverse building types for multiple user groups. Residential and commercial buildings are brought together through careful planning and an emphasis on pedestrian access. A rich mix of businesses which include medical-dental, accounting, mortgage and financial is blended with retail shops, restaurants, and a coffee/juice bar to create a vital community center that promotes interaction among residences. A variety of housing options are also provided, they include flats, town homes, and live/ work units. A mix of traffic calming schemes including parallel parking, street trees, and raised- textured paving help create a pedestrian friendly environment.

Live/ Work Community

2001

This community features three story townhouses with two story corner units. The building forms provide for dynamic vertical modulation while maintaining an appropriate pedestrian scale. Each townhouse featured two entries, a private entry for the family on one side and public entries for home offices located on the street side. This helps residents maintain a healthy work/ life balance.

Mixed Use at Its Finest

2001

The Reserve II is an upscale multi-family project with luxury amenities and units that cater to almost every user group. The development features a total of 95 units in five 3 story buildings that wrap around a pool and patio including open lawn areas, an outdoor fireplace, and barbecue pits. Pedestrian pathways and nature trails intertwine the community with the surrounding Town Center complex. A selection of live/work townhomes with street front glass and metal awnings line main street and frame the entrance to the property.

Luxury Condominiums

1998

Located in downtown Bellevue, Villa Firenze is a mid-rise luxury condominium complex overlooking an expansive city park and public library. The building features 30 units, 2,400 sf of commercial space, and below grade parking. Site constraints drove the design team to move vertically in an effort to maximize the available space and take advantage of the beautiful views. All units were designed with gracious entertaining areas with flexibility for easy design changes by current and future condominium owners.

Extreme Climate, Inspired Luxury

1994

This residence is one of twelve luxury condominiums within Meadow Wood Estates designed by RMA and located in Richland, Washington. Inspired by the extreme climate, the buildings drew inspiration from the vernacular architecture of the north-western desert. Nestled within the lush greenery of the Meadow Springs Country Club, we created the feel of a desert oasis for the residents. The Interiors were customized for buyers and featured richly detailed custom millwork, cabinetry and finishes. Our favorite residence combined 2 units to provide a large open plan for the owners, who did extensive entertainment. The result was an open and versatile plan complete with a custom, scene setting lighting system. 

Recipient of AIA’s - Home of the Month - March 1997

Originally built in 1959 and renovated in 1997

 The existing home was 40 years old, dark, and dated. It possessed, however, grand sweeping views of the Puget Sound. Stretched across the edge of a bluff, the remodeled home captures sweeping views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. The design created “sun zones” with a glassed-in easterly facing breakfast room and vaulting skylights to illuminate interior spaces. Specialty rooms were created including a music space, display spaces for a large art collection, and an attached greenhouse for the cultivation of bonsai. Thinking toward the future, the home was designed to allow for aging in place.

A Traditional Home in The Mountains

1997

The design challenge for this residence was to create a home that blended and respected the mountain terrain and setting, while complimenting the client’s collection of vintage furniture and artwork. To achieve that goal the house cascades down the sloping site with its hipped roofs mirroring the terrain. The cedar shingle siding and wood windows blend with the wooded hilltop site. The interiors are detailed with beautifully crafted wood railings and fireplace surrounds. Specially milled baseboard and casing complements the traditional look of the owner’s aesthetic.

Columbia City Transit Community

Four story residential building with a partial basement level, located at the northern edge of the Columbia City Residential Urban Village, with over 150 feet of frontage along the east side of MLK Jr. Way S. The project site area is 23, 123 SF containing 80 studio apartment units. The project design maximizes the use of the exterior amenities, including common and individual outdoor spaces, rooftop, courtyard, and patios. The courtyard garden is located directly in the center of the building, creates multiple zones of social interaction and amenities such as dog run, covered bike parking, fire pit and multiple seating areas. The roof deck at the third floor includes an open space with sunny exposure, barbeque and comfortable seating area.

Lake City Community

Six story residential building over a full basement located within the context of the greater Lake City community/ North District Neighborhoods. The project site area is 12,627 SF containing 71 apartment units, 29 open one bedrooms, 42 efficiency units and 25 parking spaces. The project design maximizes the use of shared roof terraces, provides a gathering area for entertainment and relaxation and allows for increased sunlight access to the units. A shared amenity space for the residents is located at the western side of the building on the ground floor, with landscape, benches and convenient covered bike parking.

habitat for young imaginations

2020

Paving The Way to Energy Efficiency

1987

Eastgate Corporate Center was designed as a speculative office building. Great care was taken in the site design to preserve numerous large fir trees existing on the site. The client desired an energy-efficient building that would appeal to prospective tenants. The mechanical system, lighting design, and exterior envelope design were all detailed to maximize the overall efficiency of the building. The project won the “Energy Edge Competition” sponsored by the BPA for mid-size office building category.

Speculation

1987

The I-90 Park Plaza building fronting I-90 in Bellevue was designed as a speculative office building. Open, X-braced steel framing was used to maximize the open space available for prospective tenants. The building has three floors of open office space over subterranean parking.

Ahead Of Its Time...

1983

On a triangular shaped site abutting I-405 in Bellevue, RMA was presented with a challenge early in the firm’s history. To achieve the allowable area for the building our designers cut a distinctive shape that at the time was an exciting and new take on corporate architecture in the Pacific Northwest. The final design with the building stepping back onto a series of balconies not only achieved the program goals, but it was also able to present a dramatic facade to the public.

Long term planning

2008

The St. Madeleine Sophie project consisted of finalizing a 10-year Master Plan for the parish. Working with the City of Bellevue to obtain a 10-year Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and construction of Phase I. Phase I included expanding the existing elementary and intermediate school by adding six modular classrooms, as well as the redesigning the basement level of the church to provide administrative offices for the school.

The overall plan allows for construction in stages; the final phase will add a gymnasium, 14 classrooms, administrative offices, meeting rooms, and a lunchroom with associated kitchen. Phase I was completed in 2008, Phase II completed in 2015.

Gymnasium addition

2008

Community Involvement in Master Planning

2002

RMA worked with the Catholic Archdioceses, school administrators, faculty, and parents to craft a master plan with an efficient design that capitalized on student growth and development. The administrative cluster has access to the existing social hall and entrance courtyard which contains offices, workrooms, and a conference center. Extensive consulting with the local Fire Marshall and the sprinkler consultant enabled the main church to be retrofitted with fire sprinklers that had a minimal visual impact on the existing sanctuary.

2008

The St. Mark parish chose RMA to develop a master plan and new social hall schematic plan. The master plan process involved multiple public meetings, coordination with the local jurisdiction, and a review process with the Seattle Archdiocese. A three- phase plan was developed to include a new social hall, gymnasium, and additional K-8 school facilities. The existing site was bisected by a public street, so a central plaza was designed to have cohesion between the two parts as well as providing traffic calming. The plaza is placed to border the three primary structures of the parish, namely the church, social hall, and school.

The existing church, designed by Leo Daly in 1973, is a well-liked part of the parish which was taken into consideration when designing the new social hall. To not diminish the building’s striking form, it was decided to use similar vertical masses and continue the established horizontal elements of the lower portion of the church. As a result, the addition becomes an extension of the existing facility without distracting from the tall hexagon spire of the sanctuary.

Better Communities Through Collaboration

2007

Azure Apartments (formerly Alexan Park) was a collaboration with Charles M. Stewart Architects of Sausalito, California. RMA worked with the Charles Stewart staff and the local planning staff to design 240 residential units as part of a master plan development. The plan includes four commercial office buildings, retail space, and residential live/work townhouses.

Phase I

2002

Through the principals of new urbanism, Bella Terra (formerly Village Center at Harbor Point) creates a large- scale development with diverse building types for multiple user groups. Residential and commercial buildings are brought together through careful planning and an emphasis on pedestrian access. A rich mix of businesses which include medical-dental, accounting, mortgage and financial is blended with retail shops, restaurants, and a coffee/juice bar to create a vital community center that promotes interaction among residences. A variety of housing options are also provided, they include flats, town homes, and live/ work units. A mix of traffic calming schemes including parallel parking, street trees, and raised- textured paving help create a pedestrian friendly environment.

A New Direction

1991

The Riverpointe master plan was a cooperative project involving three development groups: Legacy, Trammell Crow Residential, & Merlino Brothers Corporation. The design proposal called for 1,300 units of townhouses, flats, and mid-rise units centered on a mixed-use village center that included social rooms, a postal sub-station, and exercise facilities as well as other commercial spaces. The scope of the project necessitated an involved & protracted series of public hearings. Reviews given that the municipality had not yet adopted a mixed-use development imperative. Riverpointe represented a new direction for development in the Northwest that has only recently begun to be fully embraced.

A room with a view - part 2

2024

a room with a view

2024

The Speed of Design and Information

2022

RMA provides feasibility studies for many clients. With our experience and know-how, we have the knowledge to provide quick and precise information that our clients are looking for on perspective properties. This is a perspective property that we studied in Fredrickson, WA.

Paving The Way for Corporate Connection

2022

This is a design concept for a 2-story corporate office building in Auburn, WA.

Luxury In the Heart of Downtown with Amazing Rooftop Views

2023

This contemporary style project is 5 levels of apartment living over 2 levels of underground garages. 116-unit property provides luxury living right in the heart of downtown Lynnwood. With a rooftop deck that provides panoramic views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges. This project is a wonderful addition to the fast-paced growth of the City of Lynnwood.

Riverside Luxury Living

2023

Set along the Cedar River and just off I-405 in Renton, WA this project includes (2) 5 story apartment buildings, built in two phases, with 479 luxury apartment and (2) internal parking garages on the 12.5-acre site. Commercial uses will be located on the ground floor level facing the Highway. Phase 3 will consist of a separate commercial building.

Rustic Charm

2008

A proposal for a beautiful rustic home in Lake Forest Park. 

Mixed-Use High-Rise Proposal

2007

The proposed design looks to complement and enhance the downtown streetscape of the city of Everett. The ten-story high-rise would feature nine luxury condominiums on top of three commercial floors (19,500 square feet), structured parking, and street level retail spaces. The design features glass curtain wall facades that provide striking 360- degree views of Hat Island and Possession Sound.

Transit Oriented Development for A New Urban Center

Tukwila station is a transit-oriented development (TOD) located in the Tukwila Urban Center (TUC). The site is adjacent to the new Sounder train station and close to the Southcenter Shopping Mall. The design includes over 8,000 sq. ft. of retail, two recreation centers, 50,000 sf of common area deck over a parking garage, and over 320 multi-family units. RMA worked closely with the City of Tukwila to work through a public design review process before the Planning Commission. RMA then helped our client navigate the lengthy Conditional Use Permit Process before the City Council.