George Gibbs Architect

The Maddux

Mt Baker, Seattle, Washington
2017-2021 | with Mithun

The Maddux transforms a contaminated and long-neglected site into a cohesive residential development that contributes to the ongoing formation of the Mount Baker Town Center.

Located adjacent to light rail and bus infrastructure, the project brings 203 affordable housing units to a formerly inaccessible brownfield site. The work begins with remediation—reclaiming land previously occupied by a dry cleaner and gas station—and extends into the careful shaping of a new urban condition.

The development is organized as two buildings that define a clear edge to the street while framing shared exterior spaces within. A central pedestrian connection links the site, establishing a legible path through the project and marking a transition between the surrounding neighborhood and the larger urban context.

Housing is distributed to support a range of residents, from compact studio units to larger family apartments. At grade, commercial spaces activate the street front, while setbacks, planting, and street trees create a more generous and continuous public realm.

The architecture is guided by clarity and economy—using straightforward construction and disciplined massing to bring order to a previously fragmented site. Recent zoning and code changes are leveraged to increase density while maintaining livability, demonstrating how policy, infrastructure, and design can align to produce meaningful urban housing.

The result is a project that is both pragmatic and transformative: a repair to the city fabric that provides durable, well-considered housing while reinforcing the identity of the neighborhood.

Role: Senior Project Architect — design and construction phases.

Images courtesy of Mithun, Inc.