The great outdoors is hugely important to Pacific Northwest culture, and landscape designers work in the language that Pacific Northwesterners speak fluently. As the line between inside and out blurs, how do we manage the expectations of an urban population that values this vital connection above all else? With so many new Seattlites with different sensibilities regarding the outdoors, how do designers manage these expectations?

Public transportation has been a hot topic in Seattle for some time now, and as the face of the city changes with an influx of newcomers, the evolving public transportation infrastructure is facing a big test. How does Seattle’s struggles to form a fully developed transit system compare to the struggles of other cities? Why do some neighborhoods fear the light rail coming to their neck of the woods? Does Seattle being late to the game mean can we take advantage of new technologies and innovations?

Seattleites may think of beaches and resorts when they think of Hawaii, but first and foremost, Hawaii has a vibrant culture and proud traditions that reach back far before anyone in the Pacific Northwest ever visited. How is Hawaiian culture represented in design, and how do Seattle’s sensibilities compare to the even more nature-focused values of Hawaii?

Urban life and suburban life yield very different experiences. Newcomers and Seattle natives alike are facing a choice of how much space they want, versus how much they can afford. If there’s an exodus of Seattleites, are they moving towards the city center, or away?

Seattle has an eclectic and prolific collection of neighborhood parks, but Puget Sound is, in its own way, Seattle’s most prominent park. What does it mean when we have to pay money to access it? Plus, when both indoor and outdoor natural spaces are locked behind a gate with hours and limited access, do they cease to be public?

With this influx of new Seattleites and their eclectic backgrounds and influence, how are our neighborhoods evolving? What role does nostalgia play in the future of Seattle and its neighborhoods?

This week, Rachel and Charles welcome interior designer Monika Shreves to discuss the difficult-to-define “Pacific Northwest Aesthetic.” Is the real Pacific Northwest all mid-century modern homes and industrial-chic interiors, or is there something even more authentic hidden beneath?

This week, Rachel and Charles welcome guest Hayley Buckbee of RSVR art collective to discuss the art community in the Pacific Northwest. With all of these new eyes, ears, and creative minds in Seattle, the area’s unique art community is constantly evolving.