Date Posted: 03.27.2026
The Khmer Community and Cultural Center provides a place of healing and cultural celebration, while seeking to preserve the history, language and cuisine of the Khmer people. The new 9,000 sf building will anchor the White Center neighborhood as the epicenter for the local Khmer community, help bridge intergenerational gaps between elders and youth, and support increased economic opportunity for Khmer youth.
The design process began at this time last year as part of the Khmer New Year’s Celebration, where Mithun engaged with community members about their ideas for a new Community and Cultural Center. Approximately 300 people joined the event to celebrate the New Year with Khmer music, dance and food. During intermission, community members added dots and notes to a collage of inspiring images, highlighting those that provided the most inspiration for the new community center.
The building will incorporate traditional Khmer architectural elements and a broad amenity program; including a classroom dedicated to traditional sewing, commercial kitchen designed for teaching, lobby with exhibition space and workstation, and offices to support administration, outreach and workshops. A quiet meditation room provides a calm space for individual reflection, while the multipurpose room with a performance stage and green room supports large gatherings. Moveable partitions allow the space to be subdivided into classroom spaces for music, dance and language.
Both the multipurpose room and lobby open to the courtyard for outdoor events, outdoor cooking and gardening. The site will have terraced gardens and raised gardens for multi-generational use and teaching. A raised outdoor deck connects the parking lot with the main building, providing gathering space and views toward all outdoor programs.
The highly sustainable design allows the center to double as a community resilience hub. The Zero-Energy targeted building features a rooftop photovoltaic system that will supply 100% of the center’s energy use. Onsite stormwater treatment and Salmon Safe certification aligns with the gardening practices used by Khmer elders.
The project has received funding through City of Seattle Equitable Development Initiative, 2023 State Appropriations, 4Culture, King County Best Start for Kids, as well as donations from local Khmer residents.
Mithun is pleased to be providing a combination of pro bono and reduced-fee services for architectural, interior design and landscape architecture. The project team includes KPFF, civil; P2S, MEP; Holmes, structural; M.Thrailkill, specifications; 4EA Building Science, envelope; The Greenbusch Group, acoustics; and JLR Design Group, food service. The owner’s representative is Bright Form Real Estate. Construction is anticipated to start later this year.
