Colman Dock Water Taxi and Passenger-Only Ferry Facility
Expanding aquatic transit on the urban waterfront
- Client
- King County
- Location
- Washington, United States
- Size
- 10,000 square feet
- Status
- Completed
As sea levels rise and reclaim more land, Seattle's waterfront is adapting to harmonize with the changing landscape. Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team reimagining the waterfront, SRG + CannonDesign has created a new ferry terminal at Pier 50, just south of Colman Dock. This queuing shelter for bicycle and pedestrian ferry riders is designed to work with, not against, the ebb and flow of the aquatic edge.
This floating dock facility provides an open-air shelter for pedestrians using the King County Water Taxi, an affordable transit service connecting West Seattle and Vashon Island. The shelter includes ticket kiosks and interactive, digitized wayfinding systems that adjust to crowd size and enhance ADA accessibility. Large, operable windows open to views of Elliott Bay during pleasant weather and, when closed, protect passengers from Seattle’s infamous wet and windy conditions.
The project is one component of the larger Colman Dock expansion. Our project team considered the urban design of the site to integrate the passenger-only terminal into the greater vision for the waterfront and adjacent Washington State Ferry Multimodal Ferry Terminal, assessing design alternatives for pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle circulation. A public pedestrian bridge directly north of the terminal—accessible by elevator—will serve passengers utilizing both ferry terminals and connect to the ever-evolving Alaskan Way downtown corridor.
The new facility has earned a Platinum certification under King County’s Green Building Program.
Importantly, the structure is designed to respect the powerful sea. Instead of trying to prevent flooding, it is built to anticipate it, minimize damage, and remain functional during urban emergencies. The design focuses on the ability to adapt to unpredictable and changing climate conditions. By embracing water and allowing it to flow around us, the structure ensures that the city's vibrancy continues, no matter how wet it gets.
