Pacific Place

NBBJ, Seattle and Elkus/Manfredi Architects Ltd., Boston, designed Pacific Place, a $175 million, five-story retail and entertainment complex in Seattle. The 335,000-square-foot retail center houses a variety of upscale stores and restaurants, as well as an 11-screen movie theater.

Situated in the city's downtown area and occupying a full city block, Pacific Place could have easily overshadowed its neighboring buildings. To avoid such imposition, NBBJ and Elkus/Manfredi used an articulated facade to punctuate the structure, giving it the appearance of a collection of individual shops, each having its own sense of space and character.

Inside, the complex is designed around a large, central atrium. A 12,500-square-foot skylight caps the crescent-shaped structure, ushering natural light into the European-inspired indoor plaza. Pacific Place is the exclusive Pacific Northwest home to such retailers as Tiffany & Co., Max Mara, and Club Monaco.

To capture an outdoor feeling, designers used textured concrete flooring, painted steel and masonry. As daylight fades into evening, streetlight fixtures illuminate the way for shoppers, diners and moviegoers.

Design: Elkus/Manfredi Architects Ltd., Boston; NBBJ, Seattle Client Design Team: Pine Street Development LLC, Seattle Outside Design Consultants: J. Miller & Associates, Seattle (lighting); The Berger Partnership, Seattle (landscaping); WPa, Seattle (environmental graphics) General Contractors: Lease Crutcher Lewis, Seattle; Sellen Construction Co., Seattle