Pier 56 Seattle office building design, Washington commercial property photos, Elliott Bay workplace design

Pier 56 Seattle Office Building

November 25, 2025

Architects: Mithun

Location: Pier 56, 1201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Mithun Pier 56, Office Building

Photos by Kevin Scott

Pier 56 Seattle Office Building< Washington, USA

The project reimagines the 120-year-old structure as a flexible, health-focused workplace that celebrates Seattle’s cultural and historic fabric while pioneering new standards in sustainable architecture and achieving Living Building Challenge (LBC) 4.0.

Situated above Elliott Bay, Pier 56 was conceived as both a functional studio and an experiment in how design practice can evolve toward greater transparency, collaboration, and well-being. The 14,000-square-foot office is animated by daylight and natural ventilation, lending sweeping views of the Puget Sound—an office atmosphere that connects daily work to the rhythms of the surrounding landscape and city and reflects Mithun’s long-standing commitment to people, place, and positive change.

The design reveals and honors the character of the historic pier while introducing new layers of adaptability and craft. Exposed timber beams and reclaimed materials anchor the project in its maritime past, while open sightlines, glass partitions, and integrated wellness spaces reflect contemporary workplace values. A central “Main Street” extends the length of the pier, connecting multi-disciplinary teams across north and south work zones. The layout supports a range of working styles—from active collaboration and informal gathering to quiet retreat and focused individual work.

Guided by extensive staff engagement, the project sought to create an environment that fosters inclusion, comfort, and holistic well-being. The design incorporates all-gender restrooms, a mother’s room, and a dedicated wellness area, alongside flexible communal zones that encourage social connection and creative exchange.

Art plays a vital role in grounding the project within its local and cultural context. The entry features Return of the Salmon Spirit, a four-piece glass installation by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary and sculptor David Franklin, depicting the life cycle of salmon as a reflection of renewal and place. The reception desk—crafted from salvaged timber sourced from the former Seattle Curtain Manufacturing Company—carries the city’s industrial history forward, while custom furniture pieces designed by Mithun partners and staff-made art throughout the workspace underscore the firm’s hands-on culture and commitment to craft.

Achieving LBC 4.0 certification demanded an extraordinary degree of collaboration and precision. Weekly material review meetings extended throughout construction as the team vetted 946 products for compliance with the Challenge’s stringent Red List criteria. When 89 products were found to be non-compliant, the team pursued healthier alternatives—ultimately installing 724 verified materials. This process revealed the power of persistence and the importance of material transparency, transforming not only the project but Mithun’s broader practice.

The lessons of Pier 56 have since informed other projects, underscoring the value of integrated design processes that invite curiosity, flexibility, and shared accountability. In parallel, the project achieved Fitwel Certification, affirming its commitment to health, comfort, and active design principles.

At once contemporary and timeless, the experience of Pier 56 is defined by light, material, and connection. Natural air and daylight move freely through the space; timber, steel, and glass frame views of the water and Olympic Mountains beyond. The building’s structure, textures, and sounds evoke the working waterfront while its interior supports the evolving culture of a design studio built on collaboration and innovation.

Pier 56 embodies a balance of heritage and progress in an effort to restore and sustain the future. Through rigorous material stewardship, adaptive reuse, and a deep respect for context, the project demonstrates how architecture can regenerate rather than simply sustain. It is both a home for design and a living statement of Mithun’s mission to cultivate positive change and well-being within communities.