Northlake Commons

Northlake Commons exemplifies the evolution of healthy, restorative mixed-use office design.

At 275,000 GSF, it's one of the largest mass timber buildings in the country, blending an ambitious program of lumber warehousing, retail, restaurants, lab and office use, supported by 64,500 SF of multi-level outdoor space. This LEED Platinum building is centered on tenant and ecosystem health, evoking the comforts of home, connections to nature, and deep green strategies—revitalizing the post-pandemic return to the office.

At the intersection of three core values: health, beauty, and performance, Northlake Commons embraces biophilic design to build community. Embodying the experience of being deep within a Pacific Northwest Forest, it echoes the distinct layers of a forest floor, understory, and canopy experienced through a public plaza that connects the community to the lakeshore. Each layer is conceptually represented, from a sunken garden below the plaza to the towering columns that support a canopy of outdoor workspaces.

Embracing the region's timber heritage, the beauty of mass timber was an essential aesthetic. The expression of timber integrates at all scales, from overall massing (where the form references mortise and tenon wood joinery) to details such as the 3-story chamfered columns and the fiber cement cladding that echoes traditional cedar shingle applications. The cross-laminated timber ceilings provide visual warmth and texture, surrounding inhabitants with the scent of wood.

The project supports ecosystem health with an extensive bioswale that restores the natural systems of filtration and pollinator habitat to this industrial site. The integrated bioswale annually cleans 2.6 million gallons of polluted neighborhood stormwater that would otherwise carry harmful toxins into the nearby Lake Union that are detrimental to critical salmon populations. Northlake Commons defines the future of office design by strengthening community connections and fostering health and well-being for people and the environment.

Awards:
AIA Honor Awards for Washington Architecture 2024 Honorable Mention

_{Photos by Built Work Photography}