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Waterfront Projects in Seattle

It may be chilly in Seattle right now, but there are a number of water-centric architecture projects in the works that city that will get you in the mood for summer.

First up: a barge pool, which the city hopes to place on Elliott Bay within two to three years. The pool is designed to sit atop a barge parked in the middle of the bay. This isn’t the city’s only attempt to improve the waterfront; it’s estimated that around $1.07 billion dollars will be used to revamp the area.

Another planned development involves connecting the Four Seasons Hotel with a path to the waterfront, and other features include “a 26-block-long promenade with a bicycle path, gardens and kiosks where people could rent bicycles or have a cup of coffee or glass of wine.”

With so many projects in the works, the Seattle waterfront may be unrecognizable (in a good way) within the next few years.

There’s another water-based attraction that’s popped up in town, but people can enjoy this one year round. Local architecture firm goCstudio created the concept of a floating sauna where residents can go for a day of pampering and relaxation. Though it hasn’t yet been built, there are big plans for the retreat, which would float on barrels and sit at two stories high. Builders hope to include “Alaskan yellow cedar panels with rows of seating facing an efficient wood-burning stove” and a diving board on the roof deck.

You’ll be able to find the sauna in Union Bay, though it’s uncertain when that will be. Right now, GoCstudio plans on raising the $15,000 needed to build the sauna via a Kickstarter campaign.

Andrea Kinnison is an analyst for Better New Homes: http://newhomes.move.com/