Northlake Commons

Northlake Commons is a mass timber warehouse and life sciences lab-ready commercial office building in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. The project team was inspired by the site’s pre-industrial history as an old growth forest on the shores of Lake Union, and its long-standing history as a lumber yard utilizing the railroad that is now the Burke-Gilman Trail. With more than 60,000 square feet of outdoor terrace and deck space, Northlake Commons recognizes the human desire for a connection to nature. The biophilic design concept of being in a forest is expressed at every scale of design from massing to details. The windows and outdoor spaces orient views toward Lake Union and downtown, and operable windows throughout provide ample fresh air and thermal control to the building occupants.

During concept ideation the project team explored the qualities of timber and the ways it can be shaped and how to celebrate the building’s ties to the lumber industry. The preferred concept of mortise and tenon – a strong woodworking joint for connecting two pieces of perpendicular wood together – drove the design.

Kalesnikoff supplied Glulam billets and 5-ply cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels cut to size. Machining included custom panel sizing and daps cut for spline connections. This development is Seattle’s first mass timber life science building, illustrating a commitment to sustainability and innovative construction practices.