Reimagining an industrial site near Seattle’s Lake Union, Northlake Commons exemplifies the evolution of healthy, restorative, mixed-use office design. At 275,000GSF it is one of the largest mass timber lab-ready buildings in the country, weaving an ambitious program of:
• 158,000 SF Office/Lab
• 27,000 SF Warehouse
• 9,500 SF Retail
• 64,500 SF Outdoor Space
• 165 Parking Stalls
• 200 Bicycle Stalls
Northlake Commons is LEED Platinum certified and a case study in carbon-conscious design, as illustrated through its efficient use of mass timber, a slower cure concrete mix, and a steel buckling-restrained braced frame lateral system. Together, these strategies reduced its embodied carbon by 23%, saving over 2500 metric tons of CO2e compared to a similar concrete-only building.
Integrating with the Burke-Gilman Trail system, Northlake Commons connects to the surrounding neighborhood with a public plaza adjacent to the trail. The new open space serves as a midway respite between the Fremont neighborhood and the University of Washington.
Beyond the building's footprint, the project supports ecosystem health with a bioswale that provides habitat for pollinators. The integrated bioswale serves as a regional stormwater biofiltration system, annually cleaning 2.6 million gallons of polluted neighborhood runoff before flowing into Lake Union. Effectively cleaning local waterways, the project reverses the harmful effects of toxins found in stormwater that are detrimental to local salmon populations and water quality.
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