Commentary

Shoe Importer’s New Headquarters Receives AIA Design Award

By Seattle Business Magazine November 19, 2009

When the American Institute of Architects’ Seattle Chapter announced its annual design awards, we were surprised to find Topline, a Bellevue-based shoe importer, among the companies honored. The company converted…

When the American Institute of Architects’ Seattle Chapter announced its annual design awards, we were surprised to find Topline, a Bellevue-based shoe importer, among the companies honored. The company converted its warehouse into a stunning design center.

While the company’s shoes are stylish, its offices had become old and updated. Now the space fits the shoes. Look at the impressive new home for shoes here.

Due to strict constraints of “office” development in this light industrial neighborhood, Topline’s offices had been relegated to a small area in front of and aboveits warehouse. As a result of its explosive growth, the company had the option of renovating its existing space or moving elsewhere.

Through analysis, creative interpretation of zoning regulations and negotiations with city officials, the design team found a way to utilize the full 30,000-square-foot warehouse, integrating design research and development areas, along with much desired showroom space. Topline, which had previously segregated designers from clients, used the opportunity to create a collaborative workplace that connects clients and designers with their product. The project includes a new lobby, design studios, showrooms (including a 40-foot-long catwalk), corporate offices, meeting facilities, a shoe library, magazine lounge, design lab, cafe, and informal brainstorming areas.

As impressive as the space is, the top Honors went, as so often seems to be the case, to designs developed for government and non-profit organizations. Here’s the list:

  • Wing Luke Asian Museum, by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen. Jurors were unanimously impressed, noting that “this remarkable renovation defines architecture in a very holistic and sustainable way – remembering its past while projecting its possibilities into the future.”
  • Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, by Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects. This well-crafted, LEED Gold certified public project was a stand out because of its deep connection to its environment, distinguished by the ecological systems operating across building and landscape. Jurors described the project as a “vivid learning laboratory.”
  • Grand Teton Visitor Center, by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. This Wyoming project was described by jurors as a significant asset to the future of our national park service. “The national park is the star, but somehow this building really holds its own – it is a timeless fit for that site.”
  • Vancouver Convention Centre West, Expansion, by LMN. Describing the design as “the way a convention center should be done,” the jurors were impressed with how the project relates to the city and the water, as well as the inclusion of sustainable elements such as the green roof which “feels more like a rooftop park.”

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