Seattle-based architecture firm LMN Architects has completed a new office building in Eastside of Seattle, the 4,273-square-metre office building is the first large-scale mass timber office building of East Seattle, Washington, United States.

Named Lakeview Office Building, the office building is located in Kirkland, Washington. Situated on a triangular, prominent site at the gateway to Kirkland, the building celebrates the use of wood and construction innovation.

The Lakeview Office Building has been designed to be a sustainable, welcoming, and flexible office building in dialogue with Kirkland’s waterfront, commercial district, and the adjacent residential neighborhood. 

Image © Adam Hunter-LMN Architects

The project features wood in signature spaces, and includes a generous living roof, two levels of office space, and two levels of underground parking, complementing the civic scale of the neighborhood while minimizing the impact on views of the surrounding context. 

Two first-floor outdoor spaces and a roof-top common room with a deck promote social interaction and take advantage of the expansive west-facing vista of the iconic Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains.

Image © Adam Hunter-LMN Architects

"Working in close collaboration with our client at Cascade Management, and our team of consultants, we set out to design and build the first large-scale mass timber office development in Kirkland. The building not only meets modern sustainability standards, but also creates a new sense of place in the neighborhood and celebrates the use of wood," said Pamela Trevithick, Partner, LMN Architects. 

"Despite the challenges intrinsic in the construction and delivery of a project during a global pandemic, the building was delivered on time and on budget." 

"The client took a risk not knowing if an unconventional construction approach would result in a return on investment, but that risk paid off and the Lakeview Office Building is now one of the most successful commercial developments in the region," Trevithick added.

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

The main entry sequence along Lakeview Drive is defined by a descending immersive shade garden and fern gully that is dappled with seasonal highlights. 

A specialty-formed concrete wall and metal wall system lead to a custom-designed granite water feature at the main entry and provides a respite from the road noise above. Integrated arching wood seating and deck at the south of the building provide a gathering perch nestled into a transitional garden overlooking the active views to the southwest.

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

"The Lakeview Office Building delightfully integrates a well-curated series of outdoor experiences on a tight and sloping site. Each space unfolds to reveal a thoughtful blending between the strength of architecture and the unique Kirkland setting," said Matthew Porteous, Principal, HEWITT.

The roof, rain gardens, and terraces have been designed to mitigate water run-off and are inspired by the forested hillsides and the verdant lake edges around Kirkland and the Pacific Northwest. 

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

The roof deck and terraces provide social spaces for gathering and relaxation, seating, and connections to the interiors. Inside the building, the wood takes center stage, and the interiors showcase the exposed wood structure. The large, prefabricated wood elements acted as a kit-of-parts and were connected on-site, with minimal disruption, noise, or waste. The SPF Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT) ceilings contrast with the Douglas Fir Glulam beams and pay tribute to the forests of the region.

The project complements the neighborhood’s character while enhancing the prominent intersection of Lakeview Drive and Lake Washington Boulevard. 

Image © Sierra Construction

The all-glass curtainwall exterior with operable windows corresponds to the gentle curve of the site while providing extensive transparency, views of the lake, and visual connections to the activity in the neighborhood. The north and east facade is accentuated with textured punched windows and metal panels, complementing the residential landscape.

Image © Sierra Construction

"All of the mass timber components were engineered and fabricated offsite as a kit-of-parts. This not only promoted safety and quality with most of the work being done in a controlled shop environment, but also facilitated rapid erection on site," said Gerald Epp Jr., Business Development Engineer, StructureCraft.

"The warm aesthetic and biophilic environment of exposed timber construction is inspiring developers and building owners in Washington and across North America to use it in their next commercial development."

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

The project sets a new precedent on the Eastside for the use of renewable and sustainable construction methods. The building is a model of sustainable design, using carbon-sequestering mass timber with raw materials sourced from the forests of the Pacific Northwest. 

The structural floor and roof panels are prefabricated DLT panels. The panels were manufactured with hardwood dowels instead of glue, and their all-wood composition makes them sustainable and ideal for improved air quality and comfort.

Image © Sierra Construction

"The Lakeview Office Building demonstrates our commitment to innovation, research and sustainability. The design of the building was informed by the contemporary demands of a sustainable modern office building, the nature around the site, and our curiosity for construction innovation," said John Chau, Partner, LMN Architects. 

"Collaborating with HEWITT on the living roof, and with Sierra Construction, StructureCraft and Coughlin Porter Lundeen on the mass timber structure has been rewarding and we are very proud of what we have accomplished together with Cascade Management."

Image © Sierra Construction

The building engages the streetscape with a contemporary design that provides much-needed office space to the rapidly expanding Eastside region of Seattle. Utilizing an innovative, versatile construction method with a lighter environmental footprint, the project benefits Kirkland’s growing Carillon Point community while minimizing its ecological impact.

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

Image © Sierra Construction

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

Image © Benjamin Benschneider

Image © Sierra Construction

Image © Sierra Construction

Image © Sierra Construction

Site plan

Floor plan - level 1

Floor plan - level 2

Floor plan - roof

Floor plan - level P1

Floor plan - level P2

LMN Architects was founded by George Loschky, Judsen Marquardt and John Nesholm founded Loschky, Marquardt and Nesholm in 1979 in Seattle. The firm has designed several significant projects in the Seattle region including the Boren Office Lofts, Downtown Seattle Hotel (Hyatt Regency Seattle), and Summit 3.

LMN Architects is recipient of the 2016 AIA National Architecture Firm Award and is widely recognized for its design of projects that support smart, sustainable, cities.

Project facts

Project Name: Lakeview Office Building.

Location: 5501 Lakeview Dr Kirkland, Washington 98033.

Client: Cascade Management.

Design Years: 2018-2019.

Construction Years: 2019-2021.

Major Building Materials: Curtain wall, weathered steel panel cladding, mass timber structure (dowel-laminated timber floors with glulam post and beam) and concrete below-grade garage.

Program: Core and shell office building composed of 2 stories, over 2 levels of underground parking. Includes bike parking, shower rooms, and living roof with outdoor amenity spaces.

Site Area: 48,555 SFT (4,511 s.m.).

Floor Area: 46,000 SFT (4,273.5 s.m.).

Building Height: 30 FT (9.1 m.).

Number of Floors: 2.

Project team: John Aldredge, Brad Benke, AIA, John Chau, AIA, Michael Day, Stephen DeMayo, Assoc. AIA, Vanessa Ly-Nguyen, AIA, Jennifer Marckx, Ana Moseley, Walter Niehoff, AIA, Christopher Patterson, AIA, Michael Petersen, Assoc. AIA, Jeremy Schoenfeld, AIA, Pamela Trevithick, AIA

Structural and Civil Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Inc.

Landscape Architect: Hewitt Architects.

Lighting Design: Fisher Marantz Stone.

MEP Engineer: Rushing, Co.

General Contractor: Sierra Construction.

Timber Fabricator & Installer: StructureCraft.

Envelope: Morrison Hershfield.

Signage: Studio Matthews.

Commissioning: Glumac.

Top image © Adam Hunter/LMN Architects

All images © Adam Hunter/LMN Architects, Benjamin Benschneider, Sierra Construction.

All drawings © LMN Architects

> via LMN Architects