Northlake Commons defines the future of office design by strengthening community connections and fostering health and well-being for people and the environment. (Photo copyright: Built Work Photography)
Northlake Commons, the mass timber, mixed-use office and life sciences development on Seattle’s North Lake Union waterfront, has received a 2026 Architecture Award from The American Institute of Architects, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for contemporary architecture.
Developed by Hess Callahan Grey Group, and Spear Street Capital, in partnership with the Dunn Family, and designed by Weber Thompson, Northlake Commons has emerged as one of Seattle’s most closely watched examples of how thoughtful design can respond to a changing workplace, a changing climate and a changing city.
Embodying the experience of being deep within a Pacific Northwest Forest, the biophilic design concept expresses the distinct layers of a forest floor, understory, and canopy. (Photo copyright: Built Work Photography)
The AIA Architecture Award recognizes the best contemporary architecture across project types, budgets and styles. For Northlake Commons, the honor brings national attention to a project rooted in Seattle’s history of innovation, timber, sustainability and connection to place.
“This recognition is incredibly meaningful because Northlake Commons was always about more than creating another office building,” said Mark Grey, Partner at the Hess Callahan Grey Group. “We wanted to create a place that reflects Seattle connected to the water, connected to the neighborhood, built with purpose and designed around how people want to work and gather today. To see that vision recognized on a national stage is a tremendous honor for everyone involved.”
Embracing the region’s timber heritage, the beauty of mass timber was an essential aesthetic. (Photo copyright: Built Work Photography)
Located at the north end of Lake Union, Northlake Commons combines office, lab-ready space, retail, outdoor gathering areas and a new home for Dunn Lumber operations. The project brings together the legacy of a longtime Seattle family business with a forward-looking approach to high-performance development.
Designed as a five-story mass timber hybrid building, Northlake Commons includes approximately 275,000 gross square feet, including office/lab space, warehouse, retail and restaurant space, outdoor areas, bicycle parking and structured parking. The project’s extensive use of mass timber, efficient building systems and open-air connections helped establish it as a new model for sustainable commercial development in Seattle.
“Northlake Commons represents the kind of project Seattle should be known for,” said Kristen Scott, AIA, Senior Principal at Weber Thompson. “It honors local history while pushing the market forward. It proves that sustainability, design excellence and economic vitality do not have to be separate ideas. They can be part of the same vision.”
The project has previously received recognition for sustainability, stormwater innovation and design, including honors from the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association, Seattle 2030 District, AIA Honor Awards for Washington Architecture and the Gold Nugget Awards.
The regional bioswale captures and filters 2.6 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually from the surrounding neighborhood while also providing habitat for pollinators. (Photo copyright: Built Work Photography)
The 2026 AIA Architecture Award adds national validation to Northlake Commons’ growing profile as a project that reflects the future of urban workplace development: lower-impact construction, flexible space, a stronger connection to the outdoors and a deeper relationship between buildings and the communities around them.
At a time when cities across the country are rethinking the future of office and commercial districts, Northlake Commons offers a Seattle-born example of what comes next.
The project’s execution is further underscored by the diversity of tenants now bringing Northlake Commons to life. Ai2, The Wayland Mill and Endurance represent the breadth of the project’s mixed-use vision, spanning workspace, food and beverage, and warehouse uses. Their presence demonstrates how Northlake Commons’ design supports the evolving needs of modern tenants, providing high-quality, flexible space that helps companies operate effectively, build culture, and attract and retain employees in one of Seattle’s most distinctive waterfront settings.
The health and well-being of building occupants are paramount, with access to fresh air, daylight, and connection to nature and the outdoors built into the user experience. (Photo copyright: Built Work Photography)