Hugo House
An old home has much to offer: history, sentiment, community. These attributes are highly-sought but take time to acquire. Yet inevitably, change comes to us all, with a choice: what do we preserve? This was a central question for Hugo House, the Seattle-based nonprofit writer’s retreat. As change approached the Seattle neighborhood of Capitol Hill—a new multi-family building would replace the existing house—decisions around character and continuance were dedicated to keeping Hugo House and its community from becoming overlooked.
The new home for Hugo House draws upon both the roots of its organization and the intention of its former shelter, striving for an eccentricity that yields found moments. Like the old Victorian house that used to occupy the site, the new Hugo House was committed to creating a place that would feel unique and different during each visit.
The team began the quest with empathy, considering questions such as: How can Hugo House be a refuge, a harbor where one can safely be vulnerable? How can it be a home, a place to be who you are regardless of the world around you? To reflect the project's originality and hospitality, NBBJ's Environmental Graphics studio created unique graphics throughout, including the hanging gable-like installation in the entry area with a form that alludes to the pages of a book. Made up of a variety of graphically printed and cut sheets inspired by vellum, each sheet showcases digital scans of writings and war-time letters from the organization's namesake poet, Richard Hugo.
Features
All are welcome in the Hugo House community, which is underscored immediately through the salon environment at the entry and the all-gender restrooms in the center of the space. A range of writing techniques and styles are displayed, quotes are strategically placed throughout (skylights link to some of these), and artwork intentionally recalls the mood and feeling of the former home.
Project Details
Client
Hugo House
Square Footage
9,794 SF
Program
Classrooms, improv stage, theater, kitchenette/bar, all-gender restrooms, administrative offices
Services
Interior design, environmental graphic design, lighting design
Phase
Completed
Client
Hugo House
Square Footage
9,794 SF
Program
Classrooms, improv stage, theater, kitchenette/bar, all-gender restrooms, administrative offices
Services
Interior design, environmental graphic design, lighting design
Phase
Completed
AIA Seattle Honor Awards, Award of Honor
IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter, INaward Honorable Mention
Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards, Finalist, Social Impact
AIA Seattle Honor Awards, Award of Honor
IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter, INaward Honorable Mention
Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Awards, Finalist, Social Impact
Interior Design Magazine, “NBBJ Celebrates its Own Project of the Year Winners”
Seattle Met, “Hugo House Returns to Capitol Hill”
Seattle Times, “Seattle’s Hugo House — a gathering place for writers for 20 years — invites the public to the opening of its new home”
The Urbanist, “New Hugo House Strives for Community and Memory”
Interior Design Magazine, “NBBJ Celebrates its Own Project of the Year Winners”
Seattle Met, “Hugo House Returns to Capitol Hill”
Seattle Times, “Seattle’s Hugo House — a gathering place for writers for 20 years — invites the public to the opening of its new home”
The Urbanist, “New Hugo House Strives for Community and Memory”
