25-story hybrid-timber mixed-use tower reaches completion in Bellevue, Wash.
Architecture firm Pickard Chilton recently announced the completion of The Eight, a mixed-use high-rise in downtown Bellevue, Wash. At almost 800,000 sf total, the 25-story building includes about 500,000 sf of office space, 11,000 sf of retail, and five levels of below-grade parking for tenants.
Developed by Skanska USA Commercial Development, the tower features a carbon-efficient, heavy timber pavilion that serves as the entry for the ground-level public amenity spaces. The pavilion’s extended canopy blurs the line between the indoor and outdoor spaces. A publicly accessible lobby lounge called the Living Room opens onto the public plaza.
The Eight is located on the site’s northwest side to increase the ground-level open space along NE 8th St. The building provides pedestrian access to both a new light rail station and the Bellevue Transit Center, along with direct freeway access.
Diagonal braces wrap around the tower, creating a lateral system that can resist the region’s seismic forces. The building’s side core allows for 14-foot ceilings and open, column-free floorplates of about 23,000 gsf each.
“The massing, color, structural expression pays homage to the natural beauty and the architectural heritage of the Pacific Northwest,” Anthony Markese, Principal at Pickard Chilton, said in a statement. “The Eight’s unique faceted tower form and sunlit public plaza were envisioned as a prototype for the catalytic transformation of a key site in the heart of Bellevue.”
The Eight’s sustainable design and construction approaches include a high-performance enclosure designed to exceed the city’s energy code. The street-level plaza, open rooftop, and seven tenant terraces all prioritize access to daylight, views, and fresh air. The Eight is the third LEED v4 Core & Shell Platinum project in Washington and Bellevue’s first, according to Pickard Chilton.
The Eight also offers a 4,750-sf fitness center, 22 EV chargers, and a bike facility for 175 bikes.
On the building team: Skanska USA Commercial Development (developer), Pickard Chilton (design architect), Adamson Associates (architect of record), Magnusson Klemencic Associates (structural engineer), MacDonald-Miller (MEP engineer), Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (interior designer), Skanska USA (general contractor).
