Miller Hull

The Lake Union area has had many lives, and experienced numerous transitions as Seattle’s population has shifted. Founded by the Duwamish, the land was loved and remained in its natural state for years, even after Europeans began encroaching on the territory. A fierce supporter of Lake Union, Chief Cheshiahud (also known as Lake Union John) can be credited with much of the region’s preservation, and in 2008, Seattle Parks honored his advocacy with the Cheshiahud Loop, a road encircling the lake he helped to maintain.

As the century progressed, Lake Union gradually filled with industry. Gas plants and lumber mills were established, and the mechanic remnants of passing boats and cars became a common site. The shoreline was an industrial no-man’s land up until the 1980s, when the Seattle Shoreline Management Act shifted the shoreline’s land use from industrial to commercial at South Lake Union; this led to the development of Chandler’s Cove, which, although had good intentions, proved ineffective with its confusing pedestrian access trails which greatly complicated the process of traveling to and from Lake Union Park.

Sustainability
As a firm that prioritizes sustainable design, we’ve taught ourselves how to make better decisions about embodied carbon. Designing and constructing an entirely new building – no matter the performative aspects – often ultimately proves less energy-efficient than modifying a building that’s already standing.

The existing buildings on this site, however, were clunky and lacked meaningful engagement with their surroundings – and it quickly became clear this would not be a typical reuse project, especially because we had to stay within the existing envelope of the structures per the shoreline setback requirements, unable to exceed even one inch of the structures’ footprint.

For this reason, our team designed subtractively, doing away with the unnecessary ornament of the exterior like we were carving into a piece of stone. Ultimately, we found that this alteration provided the most value while still affording the opportunity to redefine the experience of the site. The subtractive approach also reinforced our long-held philosophy that the most sustainable solution is the one that makes use of existing buildings.

“With the chance to rethink this incredible plot of real estate would come the opportunity to better integrate the waterfront into its neighborhood, and to create a new commercial hub — “a place for visitors and locals to connect to Seattle’s Lake Union and experience this one-of-a-kind lakefront experience.” (Vulcan’s Ada M. Healey).

Estimated to generate approximately one-half of the emissions that would be produced through new construction, the reuse of these buildings positioned the team to be the first in fulfilling Miller Hull’s eMission Zero initiative. Emission Zero is an initiative targeting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions incurred by the buildings we design. Founded on the objectives to educate, advocate, and offset, eMission Zero aims to achieve environmental impact through design, ultimately resulting in a commitment between owner, contractor, and designer to each offset one-third of a project’s A1-A3 emissions, or the emissions related to superstructure, substructure, envelope, or fixed interior building elements. Lake Union Piers is the first project in which all parties have committed to this level of offsetting, with Miller Hull, Abbott Construction, and Vulcan collectively offsetting 100% of the building’s emitted carbon.

The buildings were additionally brought up to current Seattle energy code, including envelope upgrades, new all-electric space conditioning systems, and new lighting.  The only fossil fuels that may be used on site are for cooking, if a tenant should choose to use it.

Design
The team studied a range of solutions for the site, ranging from complete demolition and new construction to light-handed renovations of the existing structures.

The development includes three renovated 1980s buildings that were simplified and unified with a clean exterior palette of metal panel and wood. New interventions were required to live within the existing volumes of the space, compelling our team to adopt a subtractive approach to the design process. Working this way allowed us to declutter and simplify the existing forms by removing the extraneous details and geometry that defined the mid-80’s architecture.

Key spaces were developed at prominent entries and along the public promenade. At the northern terminus of the pier sits a new “lantern”– a transparent restaurant space defined by sweeping lake views and operable glass walls. This lantern space lives within the former volume of a reflective glass octagon that formerly held the position. Both buildings front a central plaza activated by small scale businesses that cater to marine-clientele. These suites are accessed from a new colonnade made of steel and wood that provides weather protection and material warmth to the site. The two buildings work in concert with one another to devise a new language for the site and, more importantly, to extend an active public invitation to enjoy the lakefront.

Lake Union Piers has always been a place that is distinctly “Seattle.” From its historical fixture in Duwamish culture, to its role as a ship-building hub, this section of Seattle shoreline has timelessly remained at the center of the city’s essence, serving the public still today with its annual 4th of July firework demonstration, as well as its function as the gateway to the high-tech South Lake Union. Taking Chandler’s Cove from space to place, the improved Lake Union Piers will contribute to the growing maritime culture of the South Lake Union neighborhood, while reactivating the waterfront spaces for public enjoyment, linking the land even more graciously to its water, and shows a tangible pathway to carbon neutrality in the built environment.

Project Team

Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP
Contractor: Abbott Construction
Structural Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen (CPL)
Civil Engineer: KPFF
MEP Engineer: Glumac
Geotechnical Engineer: Geo Engineering
Landscape Architect: Hewitt
Site Branding: RMB Vivid
Envelope Consultant: RDH
Lighting Designer: Glumac

EMission Zero Offset

In 2023, Miller Hull offset 417 tCO2e (tons of carbon) of seven projects as part of our recently launched EMission Zero initiative — a program announced in 2021 targeting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment. A major component of EMission Zero is Miller Hull’s commitment to voluntarily purchase Green-E certified carbon offsets to cover the embodied emissions of each built project upon completion.