It’s impossible to miss Urbana. It\u2019s a gigantic apartment complex (nearly 300 units), and, because of its prime location, Northwest Market Street and 15th Avenue Northwest, it introduces the world to Ballard.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n But, my god, the building has no aesthetic appeal to speak of; nothing in all of it could suggest it to a region of dwelling we call architecture. Urbana doesn\u2019t even look like a mind was behind its construction: it was, by all appearances, just built, just raised, and now it can only be just there. Huge, ugly, and functional (it keeps a roof over your head). But this is my impression of the complex, which was completed in 2014.<\/p>\n In this episode, I turned to the local and always insightful architecture critic Keith Cote (of Instagram\u2019s\u00a0@buildings_of_seattle<\/a>) for his opinion of this Ballard monstrosity.<\/p>\n