The 46,000 sft building is the first large-scale mass timber office development east of greater seattle.
LMN Architects celebrates the completion of the Lakeview Office Building 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. 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.
Pamela Trevithick, Partner, LMN Architects, comments: “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. 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.”
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.
Matthew Porteous, Principal, HEWITT, comments: “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.”
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. 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.
Walt Busch, Structural Associate, Coughlin Porter Lundeen, comments: “Coordinating the mass timber design of a project of this scale with the design team and the owner was a formidable experience, and the creative opportunities were not confined to the timber design. Incorporating the intensively planted roof as the concrete structure was completing construction and integrating the cascading bioretention planters with the landscape design was also challenging and gratifying.”
The project complements the neighborhood’s character while enhancing the prominent intersection of Lakeview Drive and Lake Washington Boulevard. 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.
Gerald Epp Jr., Business Development Engineer, StructureCraft, comments: “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. 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.”
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.
John Chau, Partner, LMN Architects, comments: “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. 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.”
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.
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. 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. Other recently completed projects in the state of Washington include the Bill & Melinda Gates Center for Computer Science & Engineering, Grand Avenue Park Bridge, Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum. The firm’s ongoing dedication to communities at all scales is underscored by its design approach, creating environments that elevate the social experience.
