Washington Park Arboretum Woodland Meadows

RFP Submittal Due Date: 5:00 PM PST, November 15, 2022

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL RFP – posted 10/17/2022

City of Seattle Request for Consultant Services

Project Title: Washington Park Arboretum Woodland Meadows

Scope of Work: The University of Washington Botanic Gardens (UW), in equal partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), and the Arboretum Foundation (AF) are engaging in pre-design and conceptual design studies for the Woodland Meadow project at Washington Park Arboretum. This new space will be used as a year-round gathering and celebration space and will include one or more site features dedicated to honoring the contribution to the Arboretum’s volunteers. The Arboretum team has high aspirations for augmenting programming that is inclusive for the whole community, and a more functional gathering space.

The current site sits on the former field nursery. Since the 1950s, when much of the early Arboretum planting was completed, it has functioned as one of the few large open spaces in the Arboretum. Currently, it is an open lawn ringed by a mixture of conifers, crabapples, large shade trees and a remnant field nursery to the south. While the large lawn is used in the driest part of the summer months, poor drainage makes it unusable the rest of the year.

The project envisions a space for both active and passive uses. The Woodland Meadow will be designed to accommodate more active uses, with gardens and hardscapes that allow for events such as Arboretum celebrations, festivals, weddings, concerts, fundraisers, and community events. This space can be used during the day for educational events and classes, such as Arboretum summer camps, gathering space for school field trips, and volunteer events. This active space leads to a more passive area of open lawn and less formal plantings that can be used as extra space for larger events, but most often as picnic and passive recreation space, and space for quiet contemplation and casual learning.

The City expects to hire a consultant team through this solicitation that will be able to deliver successful pre-design analysis and conceptual design. The purpose of the pre-design phase is to undertake an in-depth study to define the final project’s scope. The conceptual design studies will provide multiple design alternatives, resulting in a singular preferred design.

The full RFQ and associated documents can be viewed and downloaded on this site only.

Project Budget: TBD

City Contact Information: Please email Jonathan Pagan, jonathan.pagan@seattle.gov , if you are interested in submitting a proposal.

[Ad run dates: October 17, 2022 & October 31, 2022]