Weber + Thompson-Designed Office Project Named Washington State's Redevelopment of the Year
Renovation of 1980s-Style Building Is Ultimate in Recycling and Sustainability
SEATTLE – Nov. 29, 2007 – A suburban office renovation designed by Weber + Thompson – a full-service architecture, interior design and planning firm – is Washington State's Redevelopment of the Year.
Willow Creek Corporate Center Building G in Redmond was named Redevelopment of the Year earlier this month during the 13th-annual Night of the Stars gala of the state chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). A panel of leading experts judged the entries and handed out the awards, which are NAIOP's top honors.
CarrAmerica, the former owner of Willow Creek Corporate Center Building G, hired Weber + Thompson to reposition the 98,000-square-foot building for the speculative office market. CarrAmerica asked Weber + Thompson to turn a three-story, 1980s-style corporate headquarters – originally built for a high-tech manufacturing company – into a flexible and marketable office property for today's marketplace. The office complex has since been sold to Arden Realty.
"The market responded to Weber + Thompson's design with the ultimate stamp of approval," said Clete Casper, CarrAmerica's former managing director for the Pacific Northwest. A major software company leased all of Building G, according to Arden Realty First Vice President Paul King, who leads the company's operations in the Northwest region.
Weber + Thompson succeeded by recasting the 1980s-style building, located at 10525 Willows Road N.E., into a modern, high-performing office building that meets the needs of today's office users.
"This was a top-to-bottom makeover," said Weber + Thompson Principal Wolf Saar, AIA and LEED AP. Saar led the Weber + Thompson team that designed the project, which took 18 months from design through construction.
"The renovation of Building G is the ultimate in recycling and environmental sustainability. Instead of tearing it down and rebuilding from scratch, we took an existing building and re-invented it."
Remaking Building G was a large undertaking. The building's wood siding was deteriorating, the mechanical systems needed updating and the windows were failing. The large, square floor plates meant that the center of the building needed a significant increase in natural light, which is a must for today's performance-oriented offices.
"We replaced the wood siding with sleek silver metal, which is longer lasting and easier to maintain. Plus, the metal updated the building's look without drastically altering the structure," said Saar, who added that the crisp lines of the exterior now have a taut new skin.
To improve daylighting, original windows were made taller and wrapped around formerly opaque corners. The latest in high-performance clear glazing was used in conjunction with thermally broken frames. The team also removed the drop ceilings, which allowed more light to penetrate the center of the building and created a more spacious environment.
Originally, the building was designed to be one of two structures joined by a sky bridge. When plans for the second building were canceled, the sky bridge area on Building G was converted into a balcony. The balcony, however, had an unfinished feel and was seldom used. Weber + Thompson converted this area into an appealing, light-filled conference room that serves as a marker to the main entrance.
A decorative, free-standing wall on the outside of the building was replaced with an iconic, translucent mesh screen that boldly marks the entrance to the building. A second entry from the parking lot was enhanced with a striking glass canopy and paved walkway.
Finally, highly efficient mechanical systems were installed and stairways were brought up to code.
In addition to coming up with an award-winning design, Weber + Thompson played a key role in working with the City of Redmond's Design Review Board. City officials initially questioned why the building façade did not match the other facades in the office park. Saar and his team convinced board members that the makeover would be more successful were it allowed to take its cues from the original design and thereby celebrate its contrasts with the other buildings.
Foushee and Associates, Inc., was the project general contractor.
The Washington NAIOP chapter has more than 600 members representing most of the state's leading commercial real estate development firms.
EDITOR'S NOTE: High-resolution images of Willow Creek Corporate Center Building G are available upon request.
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About Weber + Thompson
Seattle-based Weber + Thompson is a full-service West Coast design firm specializing in architecture, interior design, planning and landscape architecture. The award-winning company has an experienced staff of nearly 100 design and construction professionals. Since 1987, Weber + Thompson has developed a diverse practice with projects that include master-planned communities, high-rises, high-density urban infill, residential, hospitality, senior housing and commercial office projects. Weber + Thompson seeks effective results through a thoughtful and collaborative design process. For more information, visit www.weberthompson.com or contact Weber + Thompson at 206- 344-5700 or info@weberthompson.com.