Graham Baba Architects: Vitus, a company focused on acquiring, improving, and preserving affordable housing nationwide, was in need of new office space. As an extension of their ethos of investing in communities, the company bought an overlooked 25,000-square-foot, 1920s-era building in the Belltown neighborhood of downtown Seattle.
The four-story, heavy timber-and-masonry structure has now been fully revitalized to house a set of retail and office tenants on the first and second floors and the company’s new office on the third floor as well as a new 3,000-square-foot penthouse which provides executive functions including conference spaces and amenity support. New roof terraces on both the east and west sides enabling penthouse amenities to seamlessly merge inside with outside environments.
General building updates focused on stripping back the interior to expose the honesty of the timber structure, while integrating niches and areas to showcase art from the owner’s collection. Design restraint was of utmost importance to provide clarity in the interior environment. One of the existing egress stairs was demolished to make room for a new elevator and a new primary feature stair. A broad, welcoming steel stair lives within a core of exposed board-formed concrete to celebrate and encourage taking the stairs. A custom, four-story, motion-activated light fixture runs from top to bottom through the center of the four-story stair. The fixture takes its inspiration from the 1967 Jacques Tati film Playtime, and the interior of the Citroën DS Presidentielle. The jewel-like cylinders of the fixture transform the passage to become a multi-sensory experience, with lights pulsing to life as guests travel past. The stairwell is topped by a large skylight, bringing natural daylight into the space which visually sculpts the space over the course of the day.
Vitus guests arrive at the third floor and are welcomed into a small lobby area with comfortable furnishings and art. The company’s offices are warm and inviting. Colors are muted and feature a mix of residential- and commercial-style furniture to create a sophisticated vibe that combines comfort with intimacy. Offices are spacious, and include mix of workstations, conference areas, and amenity areas. Casework throughout is multifunctional, serving as storage, display, as well as helping to organize the space into zones. The library bifurcates a large, open sitting area and provides a space for welcoming pause much like you would have in a home. Custom-designed lighting is integrated into the library table to provide a warm glow rather than typical harsh overhead lighting. Conference rooms, spread across the third floor and penthouse, vary from formal to informal (a formal board room is located at the penthouse level).
The penthouse captures a sophisticated residential feeling. Art is featured throughout the penthouse and third floor via a mix of settings, including display niches, situated within cabinetry, and on flat surfaces and walls. A custom-designed rug grounds the penthouse meeting space. Inspired by the feathers of a kingfisher, the colors and pattern add a subtle layer of biophilic playfulness to the design. Sheer window coverings help mitigate sun exposure, especially western sun. The penthouse is organized to function not only to provide meeting and conference areas for the office tenant, but also as a entertainment space for philanthropy events, parties, and for hosting out-of-town guests. A strong connection was retained from the west roof deck, through the penthouse, to the east roof deck. Large operable facades and sliding doors were set in place to maximum space usage and flow of circulation.
