Positioned at the top of the 1201 Third tower in downtown Seattle, and occupying the 54th and 55th floors, Boston Consulting Group’s new offices represent a substantial shift from their former offices. Previously quartered in a smaller, less bespoke office setting, BCG sought a more inviting and sophisticated environment in which to work. The design challenge for this 24,223-square-foot project was to create an environment that accommodates the Boston Consulting Group’s flexible approach to work space without sacrificing the incredible 300-plus-degree vistas the space has to offer.
The design is based on spatial compression and release, the blurring of typical work-style boundaries, and the palpable experience of space. Spatial contrasts begin upon entering the elevator lobby and adjacent reception area. Here, the space is cozy. A curved, tucked-fabric-wrapped wall panel provides a soft backing for the reception area banquette seating, while an illuminated, coved wall curves gently into the relatively low-height ceiling plane. From the reception, the custom-designed, eighteen-foot-long reception desk, reaches out toward the adjoining office and work lounge space where the volume explodes to reveal dramatic vistas of the surrounding city and Elliott Bay. The double-height volume accommodates a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional work spaces including an open work lounge, a multi-use café-style break room, and abundant meeting and focused-work spaces. Employees, mostly consultants who spend 90% of their time at client offices, are free to use almost any space in the office; a few desks are assigned for those needing privacy, including accounting, human resources, and assistants. In response to the off-site nature of its employees’ work, the space is designed with only one workstation for every two employees.
The spacious work lounge features a curved and cantilevered stair made of dark-finished steel, glass and aluminum panels, and white stone treads. The stair rests on a wood plinth which serves double duty as casual seating. The space is topped by a custom-designed steel and glass chandelier featuring amber, smoky green, and blue-toned hand-blown glass shades. The mezzanine-style second floor holds several board rooms, one with a Juliette balcony overlooking the communal break room, as well as a suite of private, client meeting rooms.
The large break room is a double-height space—sixteen-foot-tall— and is marked with a subtly toned mural stretching from wall to ceiling. The mural was hand-painted on-site by a local artist on staff with the architects. The break room is separated into two areas, one composed of loose seating arrangements, and the other defined by a large, eighteen-by-fifteen-foot island and the adjoining kitchen. A hidden bar, styled as a prohibition-era speakeasy, is situated behind a door that blends with the café casework. The tiny space features vintage lighting, bar stools, and a tin ceiling. Flexible furniture arrangement, and folding, accordion-style doors connect the break room to the reception area, transform the area to accommodate large events and all-staff meetings.
Project team
Kyle Gaffney, principal
Shannon Gaffney, principal
Melissa Maddux Renner, project designer
Ryan Hitt, project manager
Makoto Hamamoto Eyre, architectural support staff / renderer
Caitlin Molenaar, furniture / finishes support staff
Jonathan Wakuda Fischer, muralist
Design team
KPFF (structural engineer)
Macdonald Miller (mechanical engineer/contractor)
Prime Electric (electrical contractor)
Dark Light Seattle and Pacific Lighting Systems (lighting)
Stantec (acoustical engineer)
WaveGuide (theatrical/AV)
Turner Construction (contractor)
