Snohomish County's Best Architecture

Okay, so you're thinking "what architecture? Snohomish County has architecture?"

Yes, we are out here in the 'burbs but we do have some examples of good architecture. Architecture that fits in with and enhances its environment. Some of the great architecture is residential, and some of it is public. Today I will focus on public buildings.

Several of the best works of architecture in Snohomish County are new. They are in downtown Everett, and symbolize the revitalization of Everett's downtown.

Here is a short list:

Snohomish County Jail

Snohomish County probably has the best looking jail in the country. It won an Honor Award for Washington Architecture from the Seattle chapter of AIA in 2005, which stated,

"the unusual urban placement and innovative form of a corrective
facility introduce a new way of conceiving the process of rehabilitation as a
civic function. Having this building in the middle of the city helps us all to
overcome our reservations about incarceration, transcending connotations of the
jail as a place removed from society and hiding transgressors. The designers and
the client have challenged conventions here, and we commend them for it."

Hm. Well, I'm not sure that I've overcome my reservations about incarceration, but I will say it's a very nice looking jail.

University of Washington-Bothell/Cascadia College

This also received an award from the Seattle Chapter of AIA, back in 2003. What they found commendable about the project was:

Extended eaves shade and shelter the pedestrian walkways while the lively
structural rhythms make an allegorical reference to trees

Everett Station

Reminiscent with it's rounded roofline of a European train station, the Everett Station was designed both as a transportation hub and also a gathering place. The Amtrak Cascade and Empire Builder lines stop here, as well as Sound Transit's daily Seattle commuter train and multiple bus lines. It's also home to the University Consortium, classroom space that is shared by Everett Community College, the University of Washington, Western Washington University and Washington State University. Don't miss the art gallery space inside.

Everett Events Center

With "sail" structures on the roof that give the building height, as well as reminding us of Everett's standing as home to a Navy homeport and one of the largest marinas on the West Coast, the Events Center pays tribute to and enhances its surroundings in Everett's downtown. As host to the Everett Silvertips, minor league basketball, arena football, and a variety of concerts and events, it is playing an important role in the revitalization of downtown.