Tacoma Steel Supply Office and Shop
Owner: TSSI Partnership
Use: Steel Service Center, Office
Location: Tacoma, WA
Size: 56,925 sq ft
Design Professional: Mountain Construction
Tacoma Steel was hungry for new space after 100 years in the same location. Mountain Construction went to work design-building an attractive and modern facility on their new site, a former railroad switchyard.
The design expresses the industrial steel structure and brings the smaller, more human scale office out of the warehouse in front. Exposing the office on three sides on the south end of the building provides maximum light during the day and a southeast view of Mt. Rainier.
The project posed special infrastructure requirements, including a new stormwater line running under the railroad track and several blocks down the street, and a rail spur running inside requiring precise building placement. Exposed structural steel on the interior and exterior of the building expresses the business operation, structural function, and strong, attractive, industrial aesthetic.
The owner collaborated with Mountain Construction architects on steel detailing and finish selections and provided much of the steel used in the project. Etched and patina-stained concrete and matching concrete tile provide durable floor surfaces in the office and tie the color scheme together.
Together, Tacoma Steel and Mountain Construction fulfilled the owner’s vision to “Create a building that, every day when you drive up, makes you proud to come to work.”
