SEATTLE, Wash. — October 16, 2020 — The CallisonRTKL-designed renovation of the 40th floor Sky Lobby in Seattle’s iconic Columbia Center is complete. The 12,000-SF Sky Lobby serves as an amenity space for the building’s tenants as well as a transfer floor to the upper levels. The attention to detail in every element of the renovation was purposely selected to enhance and elevate the space and offer a one-of-a-kind experience infused with Pacific Northwest style.
In 2018 CallisonRTKL re-envisioned the tower’s award-winning 4-level podium with a grand stairway, a retail concourse, and a dining terrace as well as multiple outdoor spaces with comfortable seating, fire pits and garden planters. The design aesthetics of the Sky Lobby draws inspiration from the expansive podium remodel while at the same time features spaces focused on flexibility —co-working, conference, and lounge—to enhance the visitor’s experience and celebrate the stunning views of Puget Sound.
To create a space that provides adaptability and flexibility for multiple purposes that the Sky Lobby serves, CallisonRTKL focused on three drivers: conference, assembly, and lounge. Each driver was designed to serve its own purpose individually, but also can be adjusted to seamlessly flow together. Local artisanal lighting and furniture were handpicked to provide a boutique hospitality experience and honor the tower’s Pacific Northwest roots.
“The Sky Lobby renovation was the next step, after the retail podium, in repositioning Columbia Center for a new way of working. The 40th floor has a fresh feel that captures sweeping views of the region, but also provides tenants a welcoming alternative space to meet, work and relax,” says CallisonRTKL Vice President Michael Lee AIA, NCARB, LEED AP.