Palazzo I & II

Located in the Ashwood neighbor on the edge of Bellevue's central business district, this six-story mixed-use building combines 5,000 SF retail with 10,000 SF office space and 33 luxury condominiums. This contemporary design utilizes a concrete structure with a glass and metal "window wall" system as its exterior cladding. 

The panels are engineered and prefabricated by one manufacturer, eliminating the need for a wall assembled by multiple subcontractors and improving quality assurance. The window wall includes internal backup drainage systems, which allow for the inevitable infiltration of water by providing channels and weep holes to return the moisture to the exterior. These panels are constructed of powder-coated, steel-reinforced aluminum. The meticulous coordination among the architect, contractor, and subcontractors ensures that construction details on glass, structure, and cladding systems are perfectly aligned.

Portions of the cladding were water tested on-site to a specific ASTM standard using a specially designed device ("rain rack"). This advanced testing method simulates a severe rainstorm by spraying water at critical joints at particular rates and periods. The rooms inside are pressurized to create a negative pressure that will "pull" water in through the smallest cracks. This test, using cutting-edge technology, can further identify potential deficiencies in construction quality and allow the manufacturers and installers to correct them before they become problematic.