A community hub, the Redmond Senior Center abruptly closed in 2019 because its weather-resistant barrier (WRB) failed, causing structural damage from water infiltration. Mold and structural damage to the timber framing meant tearing the facility down for a new state-of-the-art, multi-purpose, multi-generational building for the whole community.
“The original building skin was made of stucco and had extensive water intrusion throughout the envelope,” said Austin Henry, assistant superintendent at Absher, the general contractor for the new build. “The City of Redmond was very concerned about the envelope for the new build.”
The new 52,000-square-foot facility opened in spring 2024 and is adjacent to city hall and a King County Metro Park trail along the Sammamish River. Its Mass Plywood Panels (MPP), glulam timber, and modified wood siding advance natural materials and sustainability. In addition, the building also includes a 156-kW array of photovoltaic solar panels, energy efficiency lighting, an air-source heat pump chiller for domestic water heating and cooling, and floor-to-ceiling windows for natural lighting and connecting with nature while indoors.
To match the natural wood surrounding the Pacific Northwest lifestyle, stakeholders asked that the new building have a warm and inviting residential-like feel. Hence, wood products take center stage throughout the building, offering a seamless indoor-outdoor transition.
In addition to the exposed mass timber, Accoya siding wraps the exterior of the building—vertically and horizontally. The vertical applications feature tongue-and-groove custom milled by Issaquah Lumber, which features a flat face with no reveal join. It simulates a monolithic look with a Sansin ENS coating in Pewter Gray. The horizontal applications are also coated in Sansin ENS in Sand Motif to reveal a striation or grain texture. The two applications show variety and scale. Gary Blackwell, project architect at Opsis, noted that Accoya was used in a similar public community and recreation center in Oregon.
“The original weather-resistant barrier (WRB) failed and caused all sorts of problems,” said Shane Horat, project manager at Axiom, the siding installer for the project. “We used a vapor permeable WRB under extruded vertical green girt and a horizontal plywood strip to build out the assembly and a ventilated cavity per product requirements.” Axiom installed Accoya siding, and while tongue and groove can be complicated during fastening, they could pre-drill and had no issues.
Issaquah Lumber custom-milled 40,000 lineal feet of Accoya wood for the Redmond Senior and Community Center. “This was a fairly large project for Accoya in the Pacific Northwest,” said Chad Amble, owner of Issaquah Lumber. “There’s a sense of pride knowing your work will be around for generations because Accoya comes with at least a 50-year warranty.”
“I know Issaquah Lumber and Chad very well and like working with them,” noted Horat. “They have an enclosed warehouse, and we can store materials until we need them, which greatly helps us out.”
The all-inclusive space includes dedicated areas for seniors to do activities. There’s a lounge and a library during the day, which can be turned over in the evening for the community, making it a multi-generational facility—recreation areas for group classes and individual workouts, and a children’s room round out the interior. Artwork from local artists rounds out the Northwest feel.
The exterior is surrounded by nature and includes several outdoor seating, recreation, and event space areas.
Metal perforated panels mitigate sun glare and complement the vertical and horizontal Accoya siding and mass timber wraps. In addition to its exterior use, Accoya is used for the slider door that connects the kitchen.
“The fact that Redmond was very concerned about the envelope speaks to their trust in using Accoya,” said Henry.
