Block 21 is the fourth phase of Amazon’s Rufus 2.0 master plan. It is comprised of one 24-story office tower, one 8-story tower with office and Mary’s Place, a homeless family shelter, as well as retail and a shared subterranean parking structure.

The project is located between Amazon’s South Lake Union Campus and Amazon’s Rufus 2.0 campus in the Denny Triangle neighborhood. A through block pedestrian link connection integrates neighborhood circulation patterns and contributes rich diverse, flexible, active open spaces and retail opportunities.

The site planning and modeling studies led us to forms that provide great southern exposure to public open spaces and which extend the boulevard character of 7th Avenue. Sculpted building forms connect the project with the city skyline and respond to the prominent views of the project from the adjacent less intensively scaled South Lake Union neighborhood.

The project has a life of its own, changing overtime and affecting the surrounding context in unexpected ways. As the design developed, Amazon elected to integrate Mary’s Place with over 63,000 square feet over 8 floors of the shorter tower providing shelter for up to 1,000 people per year. The design strengthens connections with the community and further enhances the pedestrian character and the neighborhood’s vitality. Many Amazon employees support Mary’s Place by volunteering and helping to provide a sense of community for the families and helping make even more connections.