The “Building Team Project of the Year” award is given annually to recognize both quality of architectural design and effectiveness of the project team’s working relationship. The award was presented during the American Institute of Architects meeting in San Diego May 8.
The stadium design team was composed of Ellerbe Becket, First & Goal (Seahawks Owner Paul Allen’s real estate development affiliate), Turner Construction, LMN Architects, Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire (structural engineers) and a host of subcontractors.
Together the team designed and built a 67,000-seat football/soccer stadium and a 325,000 sf connected exhibition center. The new facility opened on time and on budget for the 2002-03 NFL season.
“That was no small feat when you consider the tight urban site, building on top of the imploded Kingdome site and – of all things – an earthquake that disrupted construction,” said lead designer James Poulson of Ellerbe Becket.
For Turner Construction’s Project Executive Gus Sestrap, the six-year project was a contractor’s dream. Sestrap said Turner’s prior work with Paul Allen (who also owns the NBA Portland Trailblazers) and Ellerbe Becket on the Portland Rose Garden Arena made this project run about as smoothly as one can.
“We worked with the same design and ownership team as on the Portland project, so for Seahawks Stadium we had the ability to hit the ground running,” says Sestrap. “Typically, you start a project and it takes months to establish relationships and build trust. In this case, we had it down on day one.”
Poulson agrees. “It’s all about collaboration with the contractor, the owner and the people in the community,” he says. “Our design solution demonstrated that we could integrate the stadium and Exhibition Center into the project and add other design aspects that can help drive revenue as well as fit into the community.”
It’s the second year in a row that Ellerbe Becket has received the Building Design & Construction award. Last year the firm won for its 900 Nicollet Development in downtown Minneapolis.
An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is a leader in architecture, engineering and the construction industry with office locations worldwide.
Contact: news@ellerbebecket.com
