Date Posted: 10.14.2016
Weyerhaeuser celebrated the completion of their new headquarters at 200 Occidental with a public grand opening this week. The event represented a major milestone for the century-old company and Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, which is experiencing a renaissance with the arrival of Weyerhaeuser’s 700 employees as well as new restaurants and shops.
The Mithun-designed building is located at the heart of historic Pioneer Square, and provides a missing link to the block that surrounds Occidental Park. The site served as a surface parking lot for more than forty years. Today, extensive glazing on the eight-story building’s west façade reflects the park’s trees and creates the ambiance of an outdoor room.
Inside, the Weyerhaeuser Headquarters showcases timber and diverse wood products from the company’s plants and forests. It also reflects thoughtful attention to the occupant health and comfort. High, 12-foot-tall ceilings and expansive, operable windows facing Occidental Park maximize access to natural light, fresh air and views. Cafés and collaboration spaces on each floor encourage connection, conversations and new ideas. Open stairs connect levels and departments, while offering a healthy alternative to elevators.
The Seattle Times notes that this urban workplace “signals a shift in thinking and work culture for Weyerhaeuser after spending 45 years at its renowned, parklike campus in Federal Way.” The experience is welcoming and uniquely Weyerhaeuser—raw, industrial and strong.
Select media coverage of the event and building:
Photo by Greg Gilbert, The Seattle Times
