Populus Boutique Hotel Seattle, Pioneer Square Washington accommodation photos, USA architecture design

Populus Boutique Hotel in Seattle, USA

October 4, 2025

Architecture: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP

Location: Pioneer Square:, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

photo © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

Photos by Ric Stovall and The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

Populus Boutique Hotel Seattle, Washington, USA

Populus Seattle Opens in Pioneer Square: A Landmark Adaptive Reuse with Architectural Design by Miller Hull. The reinvention of a historic warehouse unlocks new zoning potential and revitalizes Seattle’s oldest neighborhood

photo © Ric Stovall

A historic steam supply warehouse in Seattle’s Pioneer Square has been reimagined as Populus Seattle, a 120-room boutique hotel with architectural design by The Miller Hull Partnership, in collaboration with Urban Villages, Curioso, Aparium Hotel Group, and JTM Construction.

photo © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

Located within RailSpur—a micro-district reviving a long-dormant rail corridor and alley intersection—the project breathes new life into the 1907 Westland Building through a technically ambitious and structurally sensitive transformation. More than a hospitality destination, Populus Seattle is a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization and a model for adaptive reuse in historic districts.

photo © Ric Stovall

Realizing its potential meant addressing the building’s inherent limitations through a series of inventive design and engineering moves, each balancing preservation with high performance. Originally constructed for a steam pipe supply company, the Westland Building’s deep floor plates once limited daylight and ventilation. Reimagining the structure as a hotel prompted a bold intervention: expanding an existing central Sky Court, first cut in 1979, to channel light and air into the interior guestrooms, lobby, and the hotel’s signature restaurant via a large skylight. Joists supporting the new skylight were reclaimed from other parts of the building, helping to restore structural integrity where the 1979 cut had weakened it.

photo © Ric Stovall

Working closely with structural engineers at Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Miller Hull also repositioned the vertical circulation core. This move reestablished a long-blocked passage between the main entrance and an alley-side dining enclosure, reinforcing a vital pedestrian connection through the building. At the same time, the new core doubles as a stabilizing element, resisting seismic forces without the need for intrusive diagonal bracing that would compromise either the historic exterior or the guestroom interiors.

photo © Ric Stovall

The sheltered outdoor dining area activates the RailSpur alley, invites public engagement, and sits atop an existing transformer vault, requiring complex approvals and close coordination with Seattle City Light. The result is a removable roof structure that accommodates future maintenance without compromising aesthetics or accessibility.

Miller Hull implemented critical seismic and mechanical upgrades with a light touch, ensuring structural resilience while preserving the building’s original brick facade and historic character. The team collaborated with the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program to ensure all structural and architectural modifications aligned with federal standards for adaptive reuse.

photos © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

Alongside the architectural interventions, the team also navigated complex regulatory terrain to unlock new possibilities for the building and neighborhood. A pivotal aspect of Populus Seattle’s evolution was its engagement with changing codes and zoning ordinances. Leveraging Seattle’s newly adopted mass timber building codes, typically reserved for new construction, the team adapted these guidelines to the historic structure, enabling the addition of a rooftop dining experience. With Urban Villages and land use attorneys leading the effort, the team also championed a successful amendment to city zoning regulations, overturning a longstanding prohibition on rooftop food and beverage service in Pioneer Square. This legislative win not only cleared the way for the neighborhood’s first rooftop bar but also set an exciting precedent for future adaptive reuse across the city.

photo © Ric Stovall

A cultural hub where art, music, history, culinary, and community converge, the hotel offers guests a deeply immersive experience. Guests enter through a lush, biophilic entry into a grand lobby where plants, nature-inspired artworks curated by ARTXIV, and preserved Douglas Fir beams speak to the building’s layered design story.

photos © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

From there, a striking staircase leads to the second-floor restaurant and glass-wrapped solarium, where greenery creates a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. Above, the rooftop bar—with its sweeping views and verdant landscape by Site Workshop—anchors the hotel in the surrounding city and natural world. Pacific Northwest-rooted details and preserved architectural elements, including exposed historic car decking and brick, strike a deliberate balance between natural beauty and urban edge.

Populus Seattle is part of a broader wave of transformation sweeping through Pioneer Square. Once sidelined by regulatory complexity and aging infrastructure, the neighborhood is now welcoming a surge of new energy, from converted office spaces to vibrant street-level amenities.

photo © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)

By restoring and reactivating the Westland Building, the project contributes to a walkable, culturally rich district where heritage and innovation intersect. With its mix of biophilic architecture, neighborhood-first programming, and curated art created on-site and inspired by the Pacific Northwest, Populus Seattle is both a preservation success story and a forward-looking model for adaptive reuse in historic urban cores.

Populus Boutique Hotel in Seattle, Washington, USA – Building Information

Design Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP – https://www.grahambaba.com/
Owner and Developer: Urban Villages

Interior Designer: Curioso
Management: Aparium Hotel Group
Contractor: JTM Construction
Civil Engineer: MIG
Structural Engineer: Coughlin Porter Lundeen
Landscape Architect: Site Workshop
Envelope Consultant: Morrison Hershfield
Acoustical Consultant: Tenor
Vertical Transportation Consultant: Lerch Bates
Fire and Life Safety Code: Holmes Fire
Historic Report: Kathryn Rogers Merlino
Art Curator: ARTXIV

About The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP
The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP is an internationally recognized architecture, planning, urban, and interior design firm that works to create a regenerative and inclusive future through the built environment. Since its founding in 1977, Miller Hull has been designing dynamic and environmentally responsible buildings that provide enduring value for their communities.

The firm has a studio in Seattle and San Diego with work extending across multiple typologies for a range of public and private clients where people Live, Work, Learn, Gather and Serve. Widely recognized for innovative, timeless designs and a partnership-driven practice, Miller Hull has received over 350 local, regional, national, and international awards for design excellence, including the American Institute of Architects Firm Award and Architect 50’s Top Firm for Sustainability. For more information, please visit www.millerhull.com.

photo © The Miller Hull Partnership (Duy Dang)