Most people like the idea of making the world a better place. It’s why we recycle. Why we take the bus to work once a week.

Why we want to add to the conversation about things like “sustainable development.”

A catchphrase popular in the real estate world right now, this term sometimes refers to ecological concerns, and sometimes it refers to the endurance of a structure based on the quality of its materials and construction. And those things are important. But there is another important element to this concept that is often overlooked: the longevity of the design itself.

In Europe and elsewhere, structures are used for centuries, not mere decades. 200-year old edifices serve in turn as libraries, museums, theatres and schools. To us, this is the true definition of sustainability: when a building survives over a long period of time because it’s still relevant, still practical.

At the Freehold Group, we are not just business people who hire architects. We are designers and architects ourselves. We are long-term thinkers, and our goal is to make every building we create a truly sustainable part of the city’s design, one that a hundred years from now will be appreciated for its form and artistry but also for its diverse functionality.

Like Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. Largely neglected for over forty years, this area has recently begun to experience economic growth with cutting-edge facilities which complement the lifestyle of its inhabitants. The buildings we’ve created and restored there are now home to craftsmen, small business owners, factories, and artists, all working under the same roof.

Creating spaces that serve multiple purposes in our rapidly changing world: consider it our form of recycling.