Part of a large redevelopment project, Vulcan Block 44 is the latest expansion of Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle’s booming South Lake Union neighborhood. Taking up the majority of a city block, the project adds 400,000 square feet to Amazon’s current Seattle campus - with two office buildings, restaurants, retail space and public outdoor space. ZGF Architects designed the project, working closely with Vulcan, the developer, and Amazon. The goal was to create a modern, flexible workplace, that would positively impact tenants and the surrounding neighborhood.
The selected design compliments the modern aesthetic of the South Lake Union area, utilizing steel, wood and glass to create a welcoming, light-filled space. At the building's core is a plaza that functions as an urban oasis, complete with a flowing stream, heated outdoor seating and lush landscaping. Located four stories above is one of the project's key features, an overhead bridge and colorful architectural glass canopy that connects the two office buildings. The decorative glass canopy is a work of public art created by world-renowned artist Spencer Finch, titled "There Is Another Sky". “The glass canopy art is an abstract attempt to replicate the feeling of walking beneath a forest canopy.” says Spencer Finch, “The patterns and colors shift the light within the architecture to create a space for reflection and call attention to the places we inhabit.”
The patterns and colors within the architectural glass canopy shift the light within the architecture to create a space for reflection and call attention to the places we inhabit.
To create the architectural glass canopy, Spencer Finch developed a circular design pattern with five different hues and five different opacities, to control and vary the amount of light filtered through. Goldray Glass applied this design to a technographic interlayer film, which was then laminated between two lites of glass. Goldray's Technographic Interlayer process uses a polyester film that can be printed with high-resolution images and virtually all color profiles can be achieved. The result is a versatile decorative glass product that accommodates a vast range of image and design possibilities, and is ideal for both interior and exterior applications. To ensure the desired effect was achieved on site, a finished segment of the decorative glass canopy was placed over the plaza using a crane before the final installation was completed.
Vulcan is a huge supporter of public art, with this architectural glass canopy adding to their 18 other public art commissions in Seattle's South Lake Union area. With this installation, Amazon Vulcan Block 44 adds to the vibrancy of the community and brings the serene beauty of the forest into downtown Seattle.
