Seattle Convention Center Summit Building

Client: Seattle Convention Center

At 1.5 million square feet, the Seattle Convention Center Summit building is the second largest LEED Platinum building in the U.S. and largest LEED Platinum convention center. The world’s first high-rise convention center, program is stacked vertically instead of the typical sprawling horizontal convention center, offering a new model for the typology that centers on engaging community at all scales to connect people to the urban core, surrounded by restaurants, shopping, nightlife, transit, and more.

The Summit building takes integration as its watchword, helping stitch together the urban core by acting as a transparent, welcoming hub for the city, situated at the nexus of seven of Seattle’s most densely populated neighborhoods. By emphasizing connectivity, locally-sourced materials, and transparency, the design sets a new paradigm for convention centers—one where the building functions as a critical piece of urban infrastructure. The Summit building is spatially designed around daylight. Every event space—including the below-grade exhibit hall— receives natural daylight, and the six levels of program are connected vertically through two large, 225’ tall biophilic daylight atria. This emphasis on transparency maximizes daylight and helps connect users inside the building to the surrounding urban and natural context, allowing the urban experience to become the backdrop for events happening inside and allowing events to be a backdrop for the surrounding urban spaces. On the street level, a public plaza connects to the building’s main lobby and retail spaces, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for visitors and residents alike. Inside, the building engages the senses via careful attention to materials and an extensive public art program. The use of regionally sourced and reclaimed wood throughout the interior creates a tactile and visual link to the history of the Pacific Northwest and its timber industry. 26 local artists were commissioned with works integrated into the life of the building, enriching the public experiences around the site and welcoming visitors at the main entrances. The diversity of artistic contributions, each of which offers a unique perspective and place-based experience of the artist, helps connect the building to Seattle’s rich cultural traditions. As a new economic and cultural catalyst for Seattle that welcomes both visitors and locals, the Summit building is a living, breathing entity in the city that people will strive to preserve. Economically, the project is a key driver for local growth and development, attracting visitors and spurring additional urban development. Socially, it provides a hub for the local community events as well as offering public open spaces, local retail opportunities, and additional housing. The Summit building demonstrates how a welcoming, equitable space for public convening can catalyze the next generation of a thriving urban core.