The single family homes in West Seattle’s Admiral neighborhood now compete for real estate with denser, multi-family developments, a component of the City of Seattle’s Neighborhood Plan. The challenge with the Admiral Gate Townhomes was to integrate a six-unit building into this fabric of single family houses, satisfying neighbors who inhabit the single family homes to the south. Johnston Architects broke down the potentially monolithic form with modulation techniques, residentially-scaled materials and traditional roof forms. The result is a building with a human scale, including an elevated, landscaped terrace which provides access to the units’ main entrances, inspiring a sense of community for the inhabitants. Parking is located below the terrace in private garages for each unit. Dramatic downtown Seattle views to the northeast are achieved through main and upper level decks and large glazed perimeter walls on the main level. The steeply sloped and rugged Fairmont Ravine to the east also presented a challenge and opportunity. With the use of pin piles, the building is pushed to the very edge of the slope to maximize the site’s build-able area and enhance the dramatic nature of the site.