Perkins+Will Seattle Creates Western Home For Northeastern University-Seattle

SEATTLE, March 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeast meets northwest in the new campus for Northeastern University—Seattle. Designed by the Seattle office of international architecture and design firm Perkins+Will, the University's extension campus is located in the flourishing South Lake Union neighborhood. The campus and its location are designed to enhance the University's hybrid graduate degree offerings by providing local access to classroom courses.

"The client wanted Perkins+Will to 'make a splash' with this design," said Dan Seng, Project Manager, Perkins+Will. "As a new institution on the Seattle scene, Northeastern wanted to make sure that the campus was a vibrant, noticeable and welcoming addition to the neighborhood."

Perkins+Will worked with Northeastern University—Seattle to create a space with "gusto." The clear glass lower level provides inviting views of contemporary design for the street outside and Amazon's headquarters across the street. A student lounge offers all the comforts of a 21^st century home away from home, including large interactive HD displays accessed with university-provided iPads – a telecom infrastructure upgrade was part of the project.

The design maximized the use of space on a small footprint, taking advantage of the generous 18-foot floor-to-floor height by creating a mezzanine level for administrative offices. The offices have clear glass fronts that keep the interior views open, giving the space an expansiveness that belies its square footage, and demonstrates transparency between administration and students.

Northeastern's signature red, white and black school colors feature prominently in the design, serving to visually brand the space. This visual impact is especially important in the large multipurpose room that the University shares with the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) through a creative lease agreement. What is for ISB an office seminar space (designed by Perkins+Will in 2011) by day changes to a Northeastern-branded video-conference-enabled classroom at night.

FSC-certified wood used in the office walls, flooring and stair risers balance the gleaming glass and high-tech gadgets with natural accents, and the use of low-emitting materials throughout the project help insure healthy indoor air quality. Floor-to-ceiling clear glass windows also allow for the maximum daylight available to flood the rooms, cutting energy use for both heating and lighting. These factors and other sustainable elements, including the use of recycled materials and energy-efficient lighting, mean the campus is on track to be certified LEED Platinum.

For more information about the Perkins+Will Seattle office, visit www.perkinswill.com/seattle.

About Perkins+Will
Established in 1935, Perkins+Will is an international interdisciplinary architecture and design firm founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance society. With a staff of 1,500 in 24 locations worldwide, the firm serves clients across a broad range of project types and grounds its work in deep research. Perkins+Will ranks among the world's top design firms and is the recipient of hundreds of awards. Social responsibility is fundamental to the firm's outlook, work, and culture, and every year Perkins+Will donates one percent of its design services to non-profit organizations. With pioneering tools to advance sustainable design practices, the largest green building portfolio in North America, and a commitment to the 2030 Challenge, Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry's preeminent sustainable design firms. For more information, visit: www.perkinswill.com.

SOURCE Perkins+Will