Olsonkundig
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about olsonkundig
Project • By Olson Kundig • Offices
South Lake Union Headquarters
For their Seattle offices, this international financial services company desired a site-specific space inspired by the history and context of Seattle. Because the workplace is frequented by both local and business-wide employees and customers, the design establishes the 38,000-square-foot space as an observation point for the city of Seattle.Inspired by downtown Seattle and the Pike Place Market district visible just outside, the design is anchored by the “Town Hall” – a communal meeting and dining area that mixes uses in an open and versatile market-like space. Informal gathering areas, formal conference rooms and customer engagement areas are distributed across the office’s two floors, creating a sense of an urban environment within the w... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Private Houses
Cliff Dwelling
Situated on the edge of a bluff above Semiahmoo Bay, the house creates privacy while taking advantage of spectacular views of the water, islands and mountains to the west, east and south. The transformation from urbanity to tranquility begins at the street. From the north, the home is protected and unassuming. Thick concrete walls shield the occupants from sights and sounds of the busy road above. Glass window walls and expansive decks maximize the south facing side.Over three levels, the house slowly reveals its layers; principal living areas (living room, dining room and kitchen) are collected on the main level just off of the formal entry gallery. The master suite is private and tucked away on the second level while the family room,... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Hotels
Thompson Seattle / 100 Stewart Hotel
“It was an honor to work on such an important corner and intersection in Seattle. The project is adjacent to one of the city’s most important cultural institutions – Pike Place Market – and so even today with all the changes Seattle has experienced, the area still carries a little of the Seattle I recall when I moved here in 1974.” ―Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBALocated in the heart of downtown Seattle, Thompson Seattle / 100 Stewart Hotel & Apartments serves as a contemporary landmark that visually and physically responds to the surrounding urban context. The site is situated adjacent to the historic Pike Place Market District and is neighbored by a range of buildings that represent Seattle’s rich history. For that reason, one of the primary a... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Museums
Tacoma Art Museum Benaroya Wing
The newest addition to Tacoma Art Museum, the Benaroya Wing is a 6,595-square-foot expansion to house the Benaroya Collection, a legacy gift donated to the museum by Rebecca and Jack Benaroya. The design of the Benaroya Wing balances opacity and transparency to provide optimal viewing conditions for more than 350 works of glass art, paintings and sculpture by Northwest and international artists. The addition also strengthens the visual connection between TAM and the city by activating the north end of the museum and offering a new platform for visitors to observe the urban context from the galleries.“The Benaroya Collection is an extensive private collection and represents a single point of view. This is interesting because in preserving th... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Bars
Optimism Brewing Company
The owners of this 400-seat urban brewery on Seattle’s Capitol Hill wanted the aesthetics of the former 1920s-era auto showroom and service area to reflect the utilitarian nature of the work performed within it. The design team was able to retain the ambiance of the original masonry building while still incorporating necessary energy and structural upgrades.The focus of the brewery is on the brewing process, with functioning vessels taking center stage. This brewhouse area faces an open bar, with tables and chairs incorporated into the space. Sandblasted original concrete flooring and board-formed concrete walls underscore the intention of the working brewery.The owners were able to retain the building’s single-pane windows — a defining fea... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Offices
Shinsegae International
In designing a new fifteen-story headquarters for international luxury clothier Shinsegae International, Olson Kundig sought to create an iconic landmark in the heart of Gangnam-gu, one of Seoul’s largest districts. Completed in 2015, the building unites more than five hundred Shinsegae employees, who were previously spread between several buildings throughout the city. The program includes staff offices and meeting spaces, design studios, a rooftop garden and sculpture park, and ground-level retail and restaurant space that face onto a public plaza. Secure zoned entry provides public building access from the street and controlled private access for corporate officers and VIP guests via a side entry.The high-performance custom-designed faça... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Wineries
Mission Hill Family Estate
Situated on a prominent hill rising from the floor of the Okanagan Valley, the Mission Hill Winery is a complex intended to bring the winery facilities in line with the quality and demand for their wine. Once a nondescript facility, the new expansion began with the idea that the unique quality of the winery’s wine should be reflected in the quality of their visitor and production facilities. On the exterior, earth-toned concrete give the building forms an understated, contemporary aesthetic. The buildings surround a central courtyard and amphitheater. Inside the buildings, the visitor is embraced by quiet, cool, and dimly lit spaces. An 85-feet high viewing tower-the belltower rises above the courtyard affording incredible views of the... More
Project • By Olson Kundig • Private Houses
Trout Lake
“The buildings recall the agricultural forms of the local built environment, but as is our nature in our designs, we sought to take that context and evolve it to a more emphatic modern language. We sought to design something that was exquisitely proportioned in a quiet, agricultural way.” –Tom Kundig, Design PrincipalThis artist retreat is located on 18 acres of rural agricultural property in Trout Lake, Washington just steps from White Salmon River. Both owners are artists who incorporate the natural landscape into their work – he is a painter and photographer, and she is a textile artist and designer. A key directive in the design of their new home was that it connect them to the surrounding landscape and maximize opportunities for indoor... More