[ THE EXCHANGE BUILDING ]

In collaboration with SkB Architects

2018

Poised in downtown Seattle, the iconic Art Deco building has close connections to commuter ferries surrounded by businesses and office spaces.

Working with the client, the project vision became structured around several core concepts:

‘To be the place for Exchange of ideas; to connect, dream and emerge the possible in business and community. This is a community and we foster great lifestyle.

Spaces and flow of arrival sequences must convey a statement that we are about the lifestyle of work.

Casual gathering places and common seating areas are places of productive lounging, and are places for community to come together.

Community Management over Property Management. Fostering community managers over people that manage properties. The staff is visible and approachable.’

The project vision was to create relaxed and approachable spaces that honoured, but did not copy, the geometric streamlined forms of the historic building. We focused on using selected rich colours, with a base in black and white, wood, and bronze tones. We aimed to embrace and combine the original Art Deco style of the building with a more timeless and stylized vernacular of the Northwest.

Worked with team on concepts, design, digital models and renderings, visual identity and specifications.

Previous lobby conditions

The existing hallway dividing wall is broken into divided steel glass and wood panels, reminiscent of old building storefront systems. These provide flexibility, flow, and transparency between spaces, while creating a more welcoming open building hallway.

The ‘jewel-boxes’ at the meeting rooms provide a casual meeting place, create focal points in the long interior hallway, as well as use specialty detailing reminiscent of the Art Deco period.