Unreinforced brick infill walls posed a falling risk. Floor-to-wall anchorage in the 1925 portion of the building was insufficient, and wall-to-foundation anchorage was nonexistent. The 1935 portion of the building also suffered from inadequate anchorage and unreinforced masonry, as well as discontinuous floor levels that did not sufficiently brace the building frame. The 1945 addition provided footings where a campanile was originally intended to be built, but was never constructed; the negative space of this would-be tower, known as “the Octagon,” provided an opportunity for new bracing within the building at the time of the retrofit. See Item A in the plan below.

Construction of the retrofit was ongoing at the time that the 2001 Nisqually quake occurred. The building performed well and no damage or injuries resulted. While the work was extensive, it was done with a light touch and careful protection and restoration of impacted finishes. It continues to be heavily used and is adaptable enough to undergo functional changes over time. Because the Suzzallo Library retrofit uses so many techniques throughout the building, it provides a palette of strategies to consider when approaching the upgrade of other existing buildings in Seattle. The visible new structure, juxtaposed with historic finishes, tells the story of a building (and a campus, and a city) that can adapt to serve its community.

• Sometimes many different solutions must be incorporated into a single building. Designers must carefully select which parts of the building should have visible changes, and which should conceal changes.

• Careful analysis and an understanding of a building’s history allow successful upgrades.