Seattle City Light Denny Substation
Substations are critical to a city’s power supply, but few of us truly understand the important role they play. To support Seattle City Light’s goal to be the greenest utility in the United States and educate the community about energy efficiency, NBBJ's Environmental Graphic Design studio infused Denny Substation with engaging signage and installations inside and out to showcase the impact of green electricity on people's lives and the region, while creating a critical public space for the neighborhood.
The project encourages visitors to engage and interact with the facility from outside-in to understand the integral role of energy and carbon neutrality in their lives. Environmental graphics and interactive art give visitors an intimate understanding of the facility, by providing both educational opportunities and wayfinding assistance.
Features
The enclosure’s multiple terraced walkways unite integrated graphics, educational components, landscape and seating areas, to draw pedestrians onto the substation to give them an intimate understanding of the facility.
Project Details
Client
Seattle City Light
Square Footage
110,000 SF
Program
Infrastructure
Services
Environmental graphic design
Sustainability
Expected ILFI Living Building Challenge Petal Certification
Phase
Completed
Client
Seattle City Light
Square Footage
110,000 SF
Program
Infrastructure
Services
Environmental graphic design
Sustainability
Expected ILFI Living Building Challenge Petal Certification
Phase
Completed
AIA Seattle, Honor Award, Honorable Mention
Engineering News-Record National, Best Project Award, Best of the Best Project - Energy/Industry
Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards, City Solutions, Finalist
IIDA Northern Pacific, INconcept15 Award
Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Award
AIA Seattle, Honor Award, Honorable Mention
Engineering News-Record National, Best Project Award, Best of the Best Project - Energy/Industry
Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards, City Solutions, Finalist
IIDA Northern Pacific, INconcept15 Award
Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Award
Fast Company, “The World’s Ugliest Architecture Gets a Stunning Makeover”
Fast Company, "World's Coolest Electrical Substation Has a Track and Dog Park”
Metropolis, “NBBJ Reimagines a Piece of Seattle Infrastructure as a Sustainable Civic Landmark”
Slate, “Seattle Is Building the Coolest Electrical Substation Ever”
Wired, “We Want To Hang Out At This Electrical Substation. No, Really”
Fast Company, “The World’s Ugliest Architecture Gets a Stunning Makeover”
Fast Company, "World's Coolest Electrical Substation Has a Track and Dog Park”
Metropolis, “NBBJ Reimagines a Piece of Seattle Infrastructure as a Sustainable Civic Landmark”
Slate, “Seattle Is Building the Coolest Electrical Substation Ever”
Wired, “We Want To Hang Out At This Electrical Substation. No, Really”
