b9 architects

Advocates for critical urban design, residential architecture, and planning issues, b9 architects focuses on design solutions for community with expertise in urban housing. With several completed residential architecture projects throughout the Puget Sound region, b9 architects has a large breadth completed Seattle multifamily architecture projects. By and large, townhouse, rowhouse, apartment, mixed-use, single family houses, and accessory dwelling units (ADU), fill their impressive portfolio. b9 designed Seattle’s first passive house townhouse, and just completed of a new passive house apartment in Seattle’s Central District. As a result, they’re established leaders in sustainable residential architecture. In addition, b9 has designed a number of commercial projects. The completed ones include restaurant interiors and an indoor climbing gym. The also designed a ground up dental clinic.

Principal Bradley Khouri works directly in a volunteer role with the City of Seattle. He advocates for code changes to foster forward-thinking solutions to the city’s growing urban condition. This work has included the Multifamily Code update in 2010, Design Review reform since 2014, and supporting efforts around the Comprehensive Plan updates, including the potential recommendations on Seattle’s Neighborhood Residential zoning. In addition, b9 examines the history of its own work. In a 2018 Study, Urban +, they recognized a pattern in their projects. Approximately 20% of projects added units around structures that already existed on the site. In these projects, b9 retained existing structures. Both exercises allow b9 to successfully navigate the permit entitlement processes of multiple cities and counties. b9 has always succeeded at obtaining the necessary permits for its projects and gaining approval in Seattle’s Design Review process, helping create excellent Seattle multifamily architecture projects.

b9 architects actively engages local communities. When appropriate, they meet with public groups to hear and adjust projects to meet public concerns. They collaborated with local community groups in the design of First Central Station, Wallingford 45, Robin’s Nest and more. In the design process for 11th and Aloha, the team removed height and bulk to address neighbor concerns. The process was successful as the team maintained all of the proposed units and created a project that was part of the neighborhood. Because of this active engagement, projects are completed more effectively.

See more of b9’s work in residential architecture, and company values, at b9architects.com. Follow them on Instagram or LinkedIn.