Chris Hellstern
AIA, LFA, Associate, Living Building Challenge Services Director
Seattle Studio
Every architect should be responsibly designing. According to Chris, influencing architecture from an ecological perspective is the most meaningful impact one can have on the industry, as it is so imperative that the field of architecture move forward at no less than the same speed that the climate changes.
As Miller Hull’s Living Building Challenge Services Director, Chris believes deeply in the future of living buildings. “Living Buildings can be integrated so well into sustainable design curriculum, and can additionally tie into a lot of companies’ missions and goals. “
Chris has completed five certified Living Buildings in his career, with several more currently in design and construction. He has written extensively on the topic, authoring a book titled Living Building Education, has founded the Seattle 2030 Roundtable, and has co-founded the Healthy Materials Collaborative. He is also involved with public policy at a local, state, and federal levels, helping with code development, state laws, policy development, and public testimony. As an Affiliate Instructor with the University of Washington, Chris taught a graduate sustainability course for the College of Built Environments. Chris is also recipient of the AIA’s Young Architect Award.
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Lectures & Juries
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- 05/2025: Living Future — Accelerating Regenerative Action: Chris Hellstern
- 10/2024 ILFI Affordable Housing Summit: Chris Hellstern
- 10/2024 Yale School of the Environment – Green Building: Issues and Perspectives: Chris Hellstern
- 04/2024 Holcim Awards Webinar: Chris Hellstern
- 02/2022 Princeton Seminar: Chris Hellstern
- 09/2020 Net Zero Conference: Ben Dalton, Chris Hellstern and Tina Angeles
- 07/2020 Metropolis Magazine Perspective: Sustainability: Steve Doub and Chris Hellstern
- 06/2020 Metropolis Magazine Webinar: Chris Hellstern
- 06/2020 Virtual Housing Design Week presented by AIA Seattle: Chris Hellstern
- 05/2020 Living Future Virtual unConference: Ron Rochon and Chris Hellstern
- 11/2019 Carbon Friendly Forest Conference: Chris Hellstern
- 05/2019 Living Future unConference: Chris Hellstern
- 02/2019 Washington & Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference: Chris Hellstern
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Related Projects
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- Fishermen’s Terminal
- The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design
- Kennedy Library Renovation
- Loom House
- Natural and Environmental Science Testing and Teaching Center (NESTT) Concept
- Newhouse Building Replacement
- Populus Hotel Seattle
- Washington State Library Archives Building
- Western Washington University Poulsbo Predesign