The Lakeview Office Building, a new large-scale mass timber project in Kirkland, Wash., has completed construction. The 46,000-sf project is situated on a triangular, prominent site at the gateway to Kirkland.
LMN Architects designed the Lakeview Office Building to be a sustainable, welcoming, and flexible office building in dialogue with Kirkland’s waterfront, commercial district, and the adjacent residential neighborhood. An all-glass curtainwall exterior with operable windows corresponds to the gentle curve of the site while also providing extensive transparency, views of the lake, and visual connections to the activity in the neighborhood.
The project features wood in signature spaces and includes a generous living roof, two levels of office space, and two levels of underground parking. Two first-floor outdoor spaces and a roof-top common room with a deck promote social interaction and take advantage go the large west-facing vista of Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains.
The building’s main entry sequence along Lakeview Drive is defined by a descending immersive shade garden and fern gully that is sprinkled with seasonal highlights. A specialty formed concrete wall and metal wall system lead to a custom-designed granite water feature at the main entry that provides a respite from the road noise above. Integrated arching wood seating and a deck at the south of the building provide another gathering area nestled into a transitional garden.
The roof, rain gardens, and terraces have been designed to mitigate water run-off and are inspired by the hillsides and lake edges around Kirkland and the Pacific Northwest. The roof deck and terraces include social spaces for gathering and relaxation, seating, and connections to the interiors. The building’s interior showcases the exposed wood structure.
The structural floor and roof panels are prefabricated DLT panels. The panels were manufactured with hardwood dowels instead of glue, and their all-wood composition makes them sustainable and ideal for improved air quality and comfort. SPF Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT) ceilings contrast with the Douglas Fir Glulam beams and pay tribute to the forests of the region.
LMN collaborated with HEWITT on the living roof and with Sierra Construction, StructureCraft, and Coughlin Porter Lundeen on the mass timber structure.
Related Stories
Mass Timber | Apr 25, 2024
Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.
Libraries | Apr 24, 2024
New mass timber Teddy Roosevelt library aims to be one with nature
On July 4, 2026, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is scheduled to open on 93 acres in Medora, a town in North Dakota with under 130 permanent residents, but which nonetheless has become synonymous with the 26th President of the United States, who lived there for several years in the 1880s.
Mass Timber | Apr 22, 2024
British Columbia changing building code to allow mass timber structures of up to 18 stories
The Canadian Province of British Columbia is updating its building code to expand the use of mass timber in building construction. The code will allow for encapsulated mass-timber construction (EMTC) buildings as tall as 18 stories for residential and office buildings, an increase from the previous 12-story limit.
Mass Timber | Mar 17, 2024
Timberlab to build its first mass timber manufacturing plant
The facility anticipates continued demand growth.
Mass Timber | Feb 21, 2024
The future of mass timber construction will depend on codes, costs, and climate change
Hines and DLR Group are moving forward on multiple projects using engineered wood.
Mass Timber | Feb 15, 2024
5 things developers should know about mass timber
Gensler's Erik Barth, architect and regional design resilience leader, shares considerations for developers when looking at mass timber solutions.
Mass Timber | Jan 2, 2024
5 ways mass timber will reshape the design of life sciences facilities
Here are five reasons why it has become increasingly evident that mass timber is ready to shape the future of laboratory spaces.
Airports | Dec 4, 2023
4 key innovations and construction trends across airport design
Here are some of the key trends Skanska is seeing in the aviation sector, from congestion solutions to sustainability.
Mass Timber | Oct 27, 2023
Five winners selected for $2 million Mass Timber Competition
Five winners were selected to share a $2 million prize in the 2023 Mass Timber Competition: Building to Net-Zero Carbon. The competition was co-sponsored by the Softwood Lumber Board and USDA Forest Service (USDA) with the intent “to demonstrate mass timber’s applications in architectural design and highlight its significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”
Mass Timber | Oct 10, 2023
New York City launches Mass Timber Studio to spur more wood construction
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) recently launched New York City Mass Timber Studio, “a technical assistance program to support active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design.”
