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The Expedia HQ design team was asked to envision a campus that could accommodate its Northwestern workforce and provide an innovative approach to the workplace & sustainability. Employees have free reign to utilize a variety of outdoor spaces that promote the notion of biophilic design to encourage a healthy and enjoyable workplace. Material reclamation and adaptive reuse were also core to the design. Stone on-site was reimagined for the new campus. Inspired by the driftwood on Washington beaches, spruce “boom sticks” from a decommissioned mill were nestled into the gravel dunes. Reclaimed boulders and driftwood create informal seating and play areas. A gradient of beach pebbles and river rocks meander around the dunes, recalling Ruby Beach at Olympic National Park.
Expedia HQ is located a mile north of downtown Seattle on a 40-acre waterfront site. The campus has unparalleled sweeping views of the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and Downtown Seattle. One of the key components in creating the campus was the public interface. The Elliott Bay Trail skirts the waterfront edge of the campus and connects downtown Seattle to the Cruise Ship Terminal at Smith Cove. Prior to its improvement, a shared bike and pedestrian trail pushed the circulation out to the outermost edge of the property creating a blind corner that was less-than-desirable (and dangerous) for its users. The upgraded Elliott Bay Trail and provision of public space softened the sharp corner into a gracious curve as well as created separate bicycle and pedestrian paths to improve safety.
Expedia HQ reduces stormwater runoff, sending approx. 99% of the retained rainfall through six water quality treatment facilities. The campus has 23,200-sf of bioretention facilities, 100,000-sf of permeable pavement, and a 10,000-gallon rainwater storage tank. Bioretention planting zones support an immersive landscape experience that speaks to the glacially formed landscapes of the Puget Sound. A comprehensive soil program was developed to support the new vegetation with reduced needs for irrigation, fertilization, and frequent management. This approach established sustainable and resilient soils and planting communities that will continue to grow in natural harmony with the Seattle environment. The project achieved Salmon Safe, SITES v2 Gold, and LEED v4 Gold certification.
The Expedia HQ campus is a place to celebrate and reinforce sense of place while defining a new landscape approach centered on stewardship. The Expedia HQ campus invites users—employees and the broader Seattle community—to pause at the edge of Elliott Bay. Celebrating the land-water threshold, reclaimed materials and vibrant native plantings highlight the sculpted topography of the site. Sinuous bike and pedestrian paths are coupled with open areas where visitors can discover their own routes. Curved stepped terraces allow for groups or individuals to gather at multiple elevations and take in views of the larger regional landscape. Through the careful selection of native and climate-appropriate plants and development of distinct botanic experiences, the planting provides wildlife habitat and encourages biophilia among users of the site while reducing campus water use and requiring minimal maintenance.
“Truly one-of-a-kind, the 40-acre campus is surrounded by the natural environment. These surroundings will serve as a constant source of inspiration for current and future employees, who are committed to our purpose of bringing the world within reach.”
Surfacedesign is a landscape architecture and urban design firm based in San Francisco, California. This internationally award-winning practice focuses on creating dynamic parks, campuses, plazas, waterfronts, civic landscapes and private gardens. Under the leadership of James A. Lord, Roderick Wyllie and Geoff di Girolamo, a multidisciplinary staff of landscape architects, urban designers and architects provide clients with a wide range of services.
Integral to the ideology of the practice, Surfacedesign focuses on cultivating a sense of connection to the built and natural world, pushing people to engage with the landscape in new ways. Our approach emphasizes and celebrates the unique context and imaginative potential of each project. The studio’s design process is rooted in asking novel questions and listening to a site and its users — a process that has led to engaging and inspiring landscapes that are rugged, contemporary and crafted.
