Located along Squalicum Promenade and adjacent to Bellingham’s Zuanich Point Park, the premise for Fisherman’s Pavilion is to both celebrate and engage the public with the city’s working waterfront.
Designed to function as a multipurpose building for the Port of Bellingham, the Pavilion provides a covered workspace for the fishing community during inclement weather, as well as a space for private and public use—most notably the city’s annual community event, SeaFeast.
The primary design focus for the 9,000-sf pre-engineered metal building was merging these functions into a flexible space that welcomes all. The project’s ideal site played a key role in that focus.
Our approach was to use the waterfront/light industrial vernacular of the area to create an open space that could easily adapt to the usage at hand. Large, glazed rollup doors located on opposite sides of the building showcase the fishermen’s activities while also creating an open-air atmosphere when the building transforms into an event space. The generous glazing provides stunning views of Bellingham Bay and the park. Easily visible in the distance is the memorial statue, “Safe Return,” dedicated to fishermen lost at sea overlooking Squalicum Harbor. The windows also give the public a view in to the maritime industry when the space is in use by the fishermen.