By Aaron Swain
Senior Associate, Aaron Swain was project manager during design of Solis, Weber Thompson’s Certified Passive House project in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. He is currently the Senior Project Architect on 616 Battery, a 45-story high rise in the Denny Triangle neighborhood.
Fifteen dedicated years of leading guided walking tours with the Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) deserves a round of applause. Congrats to Senior Associate, Aaron Swain!
The SAF is featuring Q&As with some of their tour guides in celebration of their 30th year of Seattle architecture tours. Read more in Aaron’s Q&A:
How has architecture impacted your life?
The built environment and the natural environment have always helped me connect with myself, organize my thoughts, and kept life interesting!
Favorite building in Seattle?
Seattle Tower has long made the list of my favorites. The variation in brick colors to provide the fading quality from bottom to top is incredible, let alone the intricate lobby details and fantastic example of NW Art Deco.
What is the first tour you developed and led?
I’m now in my 11th year of leading the South Lake Union Tour, I imagine this would be the first tour I developed. The very first tour I participated in giving was the Art Deco tour.
Aaron Swain leading a tour at the Terry Thomas building
What do you view as the most important issue facing Seattle right now, as it pertains to the built environment?
Social equity and housing affordability/Seattle livability are by far the biggest issues in Seattle right now.
Words of wisdom for SAF volunteers?
Stop and look around as much as you can. The city is changing so rapidly, and we don’t often know what we have until it is gone.
Learn more about the Seattle Architecture Foundation guided tours.