When plans were being developed for the new Hotel Interurban in the close-in Seattle suburb of Tukwila, Wash., “modern” and “contemporary” were adjectives high on the list, given the region’s tech-focused economy. Asian and Native American references also were important, to reflect the region’s cultural heritage. For the exterior, all of this translated into a palette of gray and tan earth tones that contrast against each other in patterns that emphasize the building’s squared-off lines.
Initially, designers with Group West Architecture had specified a fiber-cement product as their cladding of choice for the entire façade, but those plans were reconsidered due to budget concerns. That’s when the team at AMS, an Enumclaw, Wash.-based distributor of high-performance exterior building materials, came up with the suggestion of PAC-CLAD Precision Series HWP panels from Petersen as a cost-effective way to stretch the budget further without compromising the design. The revised plan uses the texture variations between the fiber cement and metal panels to emphasize the contrasting blocks of color.