Project Strategy

The NWIRC was founded as an independent nonprofit organization around 2010-2011 by a group of business leaders and entrepreneurs, including Executive Director Diane Kamionka. Their motivation was to help early-stage entrepreneurs and inventors in the five counties of Northwest Washington (Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, and San Juan) who might otherwise leave the area for Seattle to find necessary resources. The building provides a creative space for the organization to provide strategic resources and one-on-one advising to help innovators develop business strategies and bring their products to market.
The NWIRC's presence at the SWIFT Center is part of a broader effort to foster economic growth and provide a local support system for innovation in Skagit County and the wider region.

Our task was to convert a dreary mental health facility into an inviting and lively business hub, a community resource. A limited budget meant that we would be making the most of hard working, affordable finishes to help reach this goal. The Armstrong vinyl tile allowed the team to play with patterns and colors to liven up the space and define spaces. Blocks of grided colors paired with accent colors on the walls welcome people into the building, help define work and gathering areas, and draw people to other remote gathering spaces. The colors were selected to be bright and modern while also working with the existing colors of other finishes that remained.