Core Design Team

Firm: Johnston Architects

Ray Johnston, FAIA, NCARB
Mary Johnston, FAIA
Alison Walker Brems, AIA
Siyao Zhang, AIA
Sarah Burk, AIA
Jen Kriegel, AIA
Amber French, AIA
Leah Wiiest

Consultants/Collaborators

interior design: JOHNSTON ARCHITECTS
general contractor: AMERICAN WEST CONSTRUCTION
structural engineer: HARRIOTT VALENTINE ENGINEERS INC.
mechanical / electrical / plumbing: SIDER+BYERS
envelope / building science: RDH BUILDING SCIENCE
windows & cupola restoration/replacement: LEGACY RENOVATION
masonry restoration: JMS MASONRY RESTORATION LLC
professional photography: WILL AUSTIN PHOTOGRAPHY
professional photography: TAMMY DWIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
supporting images: JOHNSTON ARCHITECTS; CITY OF AUBURN

Project Narrative

Summary
South of Seattle in the Green River Valley is the historic town of Auburn, Washington. The community of 88,000 has a new anchor in its arts district – The Postmark Center for the Arts. Opening in September of 2023, the arts center has given new life to a historic colonial revival-style building that has served the community in multiple ways since it was built in 1937. The name of the 8,000 square foot building pays homage to its original purpose as Auburn’s first United States Post Office, which operated until 1963.

Design
In keeping with its early 20th century colonial revival design, the masonry building is a large rectangle with a smaller rectangular addition in the back of the building. A decorative doorway surrounding the building’s entryway incorporates the appearance of columns along the façade. Arched 12-pane windows punctuate the brick exterior and a lit cupola, complete with weathervane, adorns the hipped roof. After Auburn built a new post office in the 1960s, King County purchased the building and remodeled it into a public health clinic, and in that process much of the historic detailing and architectural elements were lost. Exam rooms were built, carpeting covered the terrazzo floors, and a mezzanine diminished the volume of the space. When the City of Auburn bought the vacant building back to King County for $1.00, the structure was intended to become a community-focused space. As with any adaptive reuse project, there were unexpected design challenges revealed in the field, but in the case of Postmark, some of its biggest challenges are the elements that make this project so remarkable. The building’s history of remodels over the course of many years provided several surprises during selective demolition, including the discovery of a steel superstructure and a ceiling of wooden car decking. Removal of the maze-like interior walls, bulky column wraps, and suspended plaster ceilings resulted in an open space with soaring ceilings, allowing indirect natural light into the center of the building, and creating an ideal gallery space. In early 2021, additional demolition revealed black tar painted walls that hindered the original design intention. Designers used this obstacle as an opportunity to evolve the design and create an even more open, unrestricted feeling within the gallery space.

Intent
Architects and interior designers thoughtfully celebrated the original character of the building throughout this adaptive reuse project, repurposing what was possible and stripping the design back to the building’s core structure when historic details were long gone. One of the most interesting features of Postmark is the “Vault Gallery,” the secure postmaster’s firesafe vault original to the building. Prior to demolition, the design team was unaware of its existence, but once discovered, it was immediately integrated into the adaptive reuse.

The vault became a standalone miniature gallery, a standalone structure repurposed in the renovation. Today, on display inside the Vault Gallery is an exhibit about the building’s history. New textures and materials were carefully introduced to modernize the space and replace any unusable materials or those nearing the end of their useful life. Inside Postmark, the original terrazzo tiles and maple hardwood floors were restored. The building’s paned windows were repaired wherever possible, and replaced with very similar, more sustainable windows when restoration was impossible.

Much of the original marble wainscoting was repurposed as backsplash and counter front in the open concept catering kitchen. Exterior updates included a roof replacement, repairs to the building’s envelope, original windows, weathervane, and cupola, which now glows at night as was intended. Additionally, the historic masonry work was extensively repaired and a new modern awning was designed to provide coverage from the weather and make a welcoming entrance for visitors. The budget and schedule for this adaptive reuse project were driven by the City of Auburn, who used various grants to perform building improvements in a phased process, as funding allowed, the process of which spanned seven years.

Impact
Creating connections between diverse age groups, cultures, and backgrounds is at the heart of the new Postmark Center for the Arts. Today, elders can reminisce about visiting the post office to receive packages when they were younger, adults can recall getting vaccinations for school in the building while it was part of the King County Health Department, and all generations can come together to explore art in a welcoming space designed to inspire connections. Approaching one of year since it’s grand reopening, today
Postmark hosts rotating art exhibits, classical music performances, poetry readings, open mic nights, and creative workshops for artists of every age.

Beyond taking care to preserve the building’s history, Postmark pays tribute to the ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot Tribe. As one of the central cultural groups who contributed to the project, the Muckleshoot Tribe revealed an installation piece on opening day, a traditional Muckleshoot welcoming figure. Carved from red cedar, this figure stands in front of the building as a gesture of goodwill to the community and all who visit the space. Additionally, an alleyway adjacent to Postmark is activated with a small outdoor stage and Coast Salish art and texts, a design developed in collaboration with the Muckleshoot Tribe’s cultural director. This alleyway is an extension of Postmark, used for outdoor arts and cultural programming and events.

Client
This $2 million restoration and adaptive reuse of a public building was made possible by close collaboration between the City of Auburn, its arts commission and parks department, community members, and the design team. This work transformed the building’s uninspired and confusing interior into a bright and aspirational space that serves as the heart of the town’s arts district, activating the area’s burgeoning creative scene.

A testament to the community’s excitement about the facility and the client’s satisfaction with the project, the design team is now assisting the City of Auburn as it remodels the basement of Postmark to create additional spaces for artists. These include spaces for jewelry-making, performing arts, a glass studio, and a dark room.