Case Studies
Northlake Commons
Seattle developer leads the way with mass timber lab-ready office
Laboratory-ready office buildings are a unique building type not often associated with the use of structural wood, but that didn’t stop Seattle developer Hess Callahan Grey Group from choosing mass timber for Northlake Commons.
The unique project, located on the shores of Lake Union overlooking Seattle’s skyline, provides a home for companies involved with everything from artificial intelligence to life science research and more, with an innovative structure designed to elevate the human workplace experience.
Northlake Commons’ dramatic architecture prioritizes natural elements, leveraging biophilic design principles and using wood to inspire innovation and promote well-being. The building blends function with flexibility, creating a warm and natural space that supports the inventive work within. Located along a popular Seattle bike trail, the five-story structure was also configured to align with the neighborhood, with more than 60,000 square feet of outdoor terrace and deck area, including an open ground-floor plaza that invites tenants and others to enjoy the view.
Interestingly, the site’s history was already rooted in timber. Seattle’s Dunn family founded Dunn Lumber in 1907 and operated a lumber distribution yard there for decades. In 2019, they hired Hess Callahan Grey Group to develop the property while still maintaining space for their warehouse.
The developer collaborated with architects at Weber Thompson and engineers at DCI to design the project in mass timber. The team chose a wood solution, turning a full city block from a lumber yard into a beautiful mass timber development built on spec.
“This project gives us a good view of the future and how people will want to work. We’ve created a place where people can discover, connect, and socialize, a healthy place that benefits the people who work here as well as the public. Mass timber ties all that together.”
– Cody Lodi, Design Principal, Weber Thompson
Keep reading: Download the Northlake Commons case study
