Seattle Opera Expansion

Seattle, WA

Seattle Opera Expansion

Built to replace the half-century-old Mercer Arena in the Seattle Center Theater District, this four-story, 65-ft-tall performance facility includes rehearsal spaces, production and costume storage, an expanded loading dock, administrative areas, and a large public lobby to accommodate a communal theater.  Located immediately east of McCaw Hall, the new facility is designed for seismic isolation from that structure. MKA’s design incorporates auger cast pile foundations, steel framing, and concentrically-braced special frames as the building’s primary structural system.  The project is certified LEED Silver.