22 Feb Green Alleys Competition – submissions due today!

If this is the first time you’re seeing this, you’re probably too late. But it’s still exciting and the awards will be announced next Thursday at the First Thursday Alley Party (which is always a blast) in Nord Alley, Pioneer Square.

The competition:

Seattle’s alleys offer intimate, small-scale spaces that, properly staged, invite people to walk and promise a host of sustainability benefits. Introducing greenery to Seattle’s forgotten spaces can create a small ecological system of its own by filtering city runoff before it hits the Puget Sound.

How green is your alley? The City of Seattle, Great City, the International Sustainability Institute, People for Puget Sound, and the AIA Seattle are sponsoring a contest on how to green our alleys. An all-star cast of designers, planners, residents and other alley-lovers will judge the entries for their originality, cost-effectiveness and practical implementation. Join us in a unique design competition to green Seattle’s alleys!

For more information send an email to: green_alleys-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, OR email darby.watson@seattle.gov

Here is a link to a PDF document containing project info, submission requirements and maps of the project area: Green_Alleys_info.pdf (836 KB)

Check out Great City’s website for more information!

The Schedule:

Week of January 11: Release schedule, regulations, and base information on Yahoo Groups
February 22: Entries due to ISI offices by 5 pm PST (314 1st Avenue South, 206-381-1630)
February 24: Judging panel reviews and selects winners
March 4: First Thursday Alley party, all entries displayed and winners announced in the Nord Alley

Guiding Principles:

Alleys are a key resource in Seattle. Traditionally restricted to service uses, the Clear Alleys Program has opened up opportunities to use alleys in different ways. This design competition is focused on potential new uses that in combination could add functionality to our transportation and ecological systems as well as improving the aesthetic and community-building elements of our City. Below are some guiding principles to help you in your design of Seattle’s best Green Alley:

Green alleys should:

• Welcome pedestrians, both as walkways and places to visit
• Incorporate green stormwater infrastructure in both functional and aesthetic aspects
• Encourage building design to provide doors, windows, and other elements that support non-service uses
• Continue to provide access for service vehicles

Judging Criteria

1. Design innovation and quality: 40%
2. Thoughtful integration of green stormwater infrastructure: 20%
3. Response to culture, community, and context: 20%
4. Transferability of ideas and approach to other alleys: 20%