W Seattle

Indigenous art and the aeronautical industry are woven together, starting a fresh dialogue about Seattle, its people and history.

The public and shared spaces in the iconic W Seattle were in need of a complete redesign. Skylab created a vision that melds together layers of the past, present and future, representing the pioneering spirit and innovative mindset of the Emerald City and the greater Northwest. Design cues from indigenous art and the aeronautical industry are woven together into a contemporary language, starting a fresh dialogue about Seattle, its people and history.

Using existing structural columns, lodge poles define the space, forming beaks, nodes and prows that intercept site lines, which create the unique experience of walking under a waterfront wharf or pier. Overall, the form resembles historic log buildings and totems, yet at the same time is urban and contemporary.

Built to facilitate community, the library is furnished with a single, elliptical table, encouraging strangers to meet and share. The curated mix of the region’s cultural, architectural, and historical heritage merge to form a new immersive environment, that illuminates and inspires.