Signal Architecture + Research’s Fort Worden in Architect’s Newspaper Interior
Converting an old military shed for cultural use, Signal Architecture + Research recovered a century’s worth of the building’s—and site’s—history
Spilling the Works
By Jesse Dorris• Originally published in AN Interior Fall 2021 (October 2021)
Perched on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula and kept surprisingly dry—as Pacific Northwest standards go, anyway—by the Olympic Mountains’ rain shadow, the city of Port Townsend, Washington, has long attracted attention. The S’Klallam and Chimacum peoples found a clamming beach there and set up camps, well before white settlers arrived and seized the land for state and federal use. In 1896, as ornate Victorian houses began dotting the area, the United States Congress established three forts in the area to protect Puget Sound from naval attack, including the 400-acre Fort Worden. The military built a quartermaster’s house at the fort before erecting 600 other permanent and temporary structures, but neither the compound nor its neighbors—together they were given the moniker “Triangle of Fire”—ever saw combat. After decades of being used as a storage site, Fort Worden was made a state park in 1973. Today, its buildings embrace yet another function, thanks to an extensive adaptive reuse program headed up by Seattle’s Signal Architecture + Research.
“The Quartermaster’s House was the toolbox for every other building on site,” said Signal principal Mark Johnson. Or perhaps a set of architectural marching orders: the house, also known as Building 305, has a commanding presence, with a flagstone foundation, masonry piers, and gabled roofline. Signal’s plan, begun in 2015 in coordination with the Fort Worden Public Development Authority and Washington State Park, calls for renovating three of ten landmarked structures into a creative hub called Maker’s Square. Instead of military defense, the $13 million complex will spark collaboration among artists in the visual, performance, design, and even culinary fields.
The reuse project was overseen by the Seattle-based firm Signal Architecture + Research, whose design preserves original surfaces and features of the 125-year-old building. (Arthur Ross)
An ethic of salvaging prevailed. For example, Signal repurposed the wood joists of the attic floors for a new entry stair and deck. Elsewhere, the firm retained and sealed weathered surfaces, such as maple foors and sections of wall paint. (Arthur Ross)
Signal began as the military did, with the Quartermaster’s House. The 19,000-square-foot Building 305, which until recently functioned as a shed, shows clear signs of new life. On the outside, the architects touched-up the white cladding and green skirting boards, added new windows and doors, and installed a luxuriant, ADA-compliant entrance stair that doubles as spillover space during events. Studios for working with clay, watercolors, and large-scale sculptures are grouped in the center of the ground floor, bookended by two double-height halls reserved for lectures and exhibitions. Upstairs, a pair of writers’ studios and a small gallery occupy parts of what was previously a dim, stuffy attic. The design team worked with Arup’s acoustic department to convert the basement into performance and broadcast studios for local radio station KPTZ. Plywood walls throughout offer flexibility for resident artists to use and remove as imagination dictates. While installing the necessary wiring and mechanical systems, Johnson said, his team strove to keep everything up to date and up to code without leaving the building’s character behind. The architects inserted a new steel frame to augment the original timber structure and refurbished a gorgeous handcrank elevator. A spirit of resourcefulness pervades the project: salvaged beadboard was used to repair wall and ceiling surfaces, while the attic’s old-growth Douglas fir floor joists were carefully repurposed into stair treads and risers. In contrast to the pleasant exterior, the interiors evince a piebald character, reveling in an aesthetic of mixing and matching. Traces of decades old paint lend a ghostly aura. Maple floors show imprints of a century of service. “Why not clean and seal them,” Johnson said, “instead of stripping all that life away?”
The architects removed the north and south wings of the attic to create double-height galleries that bookend a core of groundfloor studios. A new steel frame buttresses century-old timbers. (Arthur Ross)Less desirable, but no less essential, signs of life gave the neighboring 2,200-square-foot Building 308 its nickname. “The Porcelain Palace” was used to store the Parks Department’s decommissioned toilets and sinks; before that, it was a stable with a dirt floor. “It required all new insulation, a new infrastructure,” Johnson said, “which was a challenge, because when you insulate a wood frame building that’s been dry and breathing, you have to seal it up and carefully create venting. It’s quite a bit of technical surgery on what could be considered a not very technical building.” Meanwhile, the slate roof “weathered like an old guitar that had been played for 100 years. It showed the marks of time but was still completely functional.”
Large Sugatsune doors with concealed hinges separate the studios from corridors. Hydronic radiators from Runtal heat the building. (Arthur Ross)As is the 3,000-square-foot Building 324. “That one has a really interesting typology,” Johnson said. “It’s like a centipede, a barn floating 3 feet above the grassy meadow.” Both stand ready for conscription into a peaceful, productive future. Signal hopes to eventually enlist the remaining seven historical buildings into service, too. “They were workhorse buildings,” Johnson said. “And now they are ready to do more work.”
Header image: Three ex-military sheds in Port Townsend, Washington, are being adapted for use as an arts and technology complex. The first of these, Building 305, was completed earlier this year. The original cedar siding was patched and repainted, and the doublehung windows and wood doors restored. (Arthur Ross)
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Tessa graduated from Fordham University in New York with a dual bachelor's degree in Communications and Political Science. During her time at Fordham, she worked for an interior designer and at NBC News where she developed her love for both design and communications. After graduating, Tessa managed marketing at 3form, a pioneer in the sustainable building products industry. During her tenure, 3form was repeatedly named one of the most recognized manufacturers in the design industry among architects and designers, and the company won multiple awards for its innovative product launches. After 3form, Tessa consulted on marketing efforts with leading product manufacturers in architecture and design before starting Paxson Fay with Amy.
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As a child, Paige wanted to be an architect; but after falling in love with storytelling, the power of words, and yes, the show West Wing, she decided to pursue journalism at The George Washington University in the nation’s capital. Following graduation, Paige crafted communications for the beauty and banking industries. Craving space for creativity, she joined the small team that would reopen the congressionally designated National Children’s Museum. There, she played an integral role in establishing the museum’s brand, bringing it to life across digital channels, including social media, email, and advertising. After nearly eight years in DC, she decided it was time for a change of scenery. Having grown fond of the title Washingtonian, she made the cross-country move to Washington State. She landed in Seattle at Paxson Fay, where in true full circle fashion she is the architect of social media and public relations strategies for our architecture and design clients.
From San Francisco, California, Zoe moved to Seattle, Washington to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. She graduated with a dual bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science. Shortly after graduation from UW, Zoe hopped across the pond to pursue her Master of Science in Urban Economics and Real Estate Finance at the London School of Economics. Focusing on Sustainable Development, she found herself drawn to adaptive reuse and preservation projects in the world of architecture and design. Building on prior marketing and social media experience, Zoe returned to the PNW in July of 2023 to work on social media strategy and content creation for clients at Paxson Fay.
Martina joined the Paxson Fay team as an intern when she was a senior at the University of Washington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Interest Communications, Martina is now continuing with the team as a Communications Assistant. During her time at UW, Martina worked as the Special Sections Editor at the university’s newspapers where she won multiple awards for her front page spreads. Looking to blend her minors in real estate and environmental science with her focus in communications, Martina is passionate and excited to join the Paxson Fay team.
With roots in Napa and Denver, Tara ventured to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her academic journey at the University of Washington, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Education. Tara's love for writing began when she delved into songwriting, building on her pre-existing passion for singing and playing the piano. Following her undergraduate years, she returned to Paxson Fay, where she had previously interned, transitioning into the role of Communications Assistant. With a keen interest in PR and social media, Tara seamlessly integrates her creative flair into the professional realm. Outside of work, you'll find Tara passionately supporting the Kraken, embodying her love for both storytelling and sports.
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