Seattle’s new 48-story mixed-use tower designed as a livable piece of art

First Light, a 48-story mixed-use high-rise in downtown Seattle, was designed as a livable piece of art. The retail, office, and luxury residential structure’s most prominent feature is a cantilevered rooftop pool that hovers over the city’s skyline.

At the tower’s base, “The Veil,” a permanent seven-story glass installation by sculptural glass artist John Hogan, wraps the podium in 10,000 glass discs, each individually set and angled. The local artist’s design creates an everchanging façade while also diffusing views and enhancing privacy. Twenty-foot doors open to a lobby of polished concrete and stainless steel that features a custom Fazioli piano with more of Hogan’s glasswork integrated into the lid. 

At the top of the tower and suspended over the city, the cantilevered pool deck is framed by panoramic views of downtown Seattle, Elliot Bay, and Mt. Ranier. V-shaped concrete columns support the pool deck and expansive amenity spaces, balancing engineering precision and the design’s vision to optimize structural integrity without compromising aesthetics.

Extending far beyond the tower’s edge, the pool pushed engineering and construction boundaries, requiring nearly two years of coordination between the general contractor, structural engineer, architect, and multiple third-party consultants. Due to the pool’s elevation and exposure, special consideration was given to wind loads, temperature changes, and weather-related movement. 

Temporary support systems were prefabricated to minimize on-site work at height and reduce exposure over the busy streets below. Castellated steel beams bolted directly to the concrete deck support the cantilever, and prefabricated working platforms were anchored to these beams to safely facilitate formwork and installation. 

All structural connections—particularly bolts passing through the slab—were coordinated precisely with in-slab MEP systems to avoid conflicts with ductwork, PEX piping, and electrical feeders. Temporary elements were intentionally overdesigned with built-in redundancies to eliminate single points of failure. Formwork was pre-cambered to account for an expected 3-inch deflection during the concrete pour. The structure was poured in segments, with survey teams actively monitoring movement in real time to ensure tolerances were met.

A dual-layer safety net system was installed beneath the entire temporary assembly—one mesh net for debris and one rated for personnel fall protection. In addition, a dedicated bracing system was designed to mitigate wind loads during construction, and the system underwent frequent inspections by third-party engineers.

The terraced clubhouse—with lounge areas, kitchen, and coworking, all with breathtaking, floor-to-ceiling views—fosters a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. A glass-enclosed, open-air Secret Garden, reached by private elevator, is landscaped with native ground covering and offers a Zen-like retreat.

Owner and/or developer: Westbank Corporation
Design architect: James KM Cheng Architects
Architect of record: MG2
MEP engineer: Integral
Structural engineer: Glotman Simpson
General contractor/construction manager: Build Group