400 Westlake
The Project
One of the first projects in Seattle’s Living Building Pilot program—and as of now, the largest—400 Westlake stands among the most sustainable projects of its size anywhere. The 16-story office tower is designed to generate 105% of the energy it consumes.
About
Lewis preserved the 1929 Firestone Building's façade with innovative shoring and foundation systems, restored historic plasterwork, and supported the client’s bold sustainability vision through energy-positive design and Living Building Petal Certification.
Location
Seattle, Washington
Client
Martin Selig Real Estate
Awards
- CoStar, Commercial Development of the Year for Seattle/Puget Sound, 2023
- NAIOP Washington State, Night of the Stars, Sustainable Development of the Year, 2023
Preserving the façade
As a historic Seattle landmark nestled in the heart of South Lake Union, the façade of the building is being preserved as a new, super-green 16-story office building built within the existing structure.
From the street, the façade preservation at 400 Westlake looked fairly simple. It wasn't anything but. Lewis installed a series of braces along each face, creating a supportive triangle between the upper façade, lower façade, and a temporary footing in the ground. These braces support the façade until the new structure is permanently attached to the existing one, and to the naked eye, each brace looks identical to the next.
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