SEATTLE, WA The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) has commissioned Seattle, Washington, -based Olson Kundig to design the third floor of King Street Station to transform it into a flexible, welcoming and permanent cultural hub opening to the public in mid-2017. 

"This is an unprecedented opportunity to create a vibrant permanent cultural space in our rapidly growing city," said Mayor Ed Murray. "The new space will draw on the richness of the community surrounding it - from Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District, and beyond. This new era for King Street Station will help us carry out our vision to ensure public spaces are accessible, equitable, and reflective of the diversity of the community it serves."

We are excited about the endless opportunities that King Street Station presents to the city, our office, and the community," said Randy Engstrom, Director Seattle Office of ARTS. "Olson Kundig has enthusiastically embraced our vision of the third floor as a space for art, artists, and community to collaborate, communicate and connect. We want King Street Station to serve as a nexus for our diverse communities, elevate arts and culture in Seattle and serve as a lab for artists to experiment."

Olson Kundig's design of the third floor directly responds to the feedback from community focus groups convened by ARTS beginning in May 2016. The King Street Station Cultural Plan will be presented in spring 2017 based on the feedback gathered at these events. The design utilizes the raw undeveloped expansive open space of the third floor to create a flexible, modular public area that can respond to multi-disciplinary art presentations and the associated community space needs. The space will include arts presentation spaces, Grey Box theater space, a Living Room community gathering area, meeting rooms, bathrooms, and offices for ARTS.

"¢ Community Cultural space: A large 8,550-square-foot open area with movable walls where exhibitions, events, and presentations can take place.

"¢ Grey Box: An intimate 1,720-square-foot enclosed area that can be used for smaller installations and performances.

"¢ Living Room: A 2,450-square-foot common area on the third floor that will serve as a welcoming space and information hub for visitors, and a meeting space for artists and community.

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) in partnership with the Office of Economic Development and Seattle Department of Transportation will create permanent cultural space at King Street Station with a phased opening in 2017 and 2018.