The C Concourse Expansion is the first project of its kind to follow the Port of Seattle’s Sustainable Project Framework, a process to transparently evaluate alternative, sustainable approaches to build capital projects where environmental and societal impacts inform project design, alongside cost and schedule.
(Seattle-Tacoma Airport photo)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) recently revealed 30 percent design renderings of its next marquee capital improvement project. The C Concourse Expansion will elevate SEA, literally, by adding four additional floors above the existing building and raising the bar on the airport experience and sustainability.
The budget range for the C Concourse Expansion is $240 million to $500 million. A total of $340 million is currently approved by the Port of Seattle Commission, which can be amended as the project progresses.
The project spans the C and D Concourses with 145,530 more sq. ft. of dining and retail, sought-after amenities such as an Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Room and Nursing Suite, and an all-new, more than 20,000-sq.-ft. Alaska Airlines Lounge.
The heart of the space — The Grand Stairs at C — will be an iconic destination that invites travelers to linger with seating, airfield views, music and art, or head upstairs for more elbowroom and dining and retail options. The expansion also encompasses office space for airport businesses, airlines and the TSA.
"We have a clear vision for how the airport will look and feel in the coming years," said SEA Managing Director Lance Lyttle. "Making your experience less stressful and more predictable is at the center of our vision. You can feel the difference now at the newly modernized N Concourse and soon to open International Arrivals Facility. The C Concourse Expansion is what's next in how SEA serves travelers, and we can't wait."
Sustainable Design Strategy
The Port of Seattle, which owns and operates SEA, is working to be the greenest and most energy efficient port in North America where the health of the environment and the well-being of travelers is paramount. C Concourse Expansion is the first project of its kind to follow the Port's Sustainable Project Framework, a process to transparently evaluate alternative, sustainable approaches to build capital projects where environmental and societal impacts inform project design, alongside cost and schedule.
The sustainable features of this project will set the precedent for future capital projects at the Port, including:
- Rooftop photovoltaics and a solar panel array is projected to provide 15 percent of the C Concourse Expansion energy demand;
- Creating fossil fuel free systems for heating and tenant hot water and equipment with electricity that will save Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions;
- Electrochromic glazing for windows will reduce peak cooling loads and annual cooling energy consumption;
- Installing dishwashing capability will reduce solid waste from disposal dishware and space for donated food storage will support the airport's existing partnership with the Des Moines Area Food Bank;
- Embodied carbon reduction strategies such as lessened steel tonnage and associated manufacturing impacts and decreased cement quantity;
- Low-flow water fixtures that conserve potable water and a purple system to connect to future reclaimed water supplies;
- Biophilic design principles will create a connection to the outdoors with natural lighting, landscape features and other elements for a sense of well-being for travelers.
"The C Concourse Expansion is an inspiring gathering place that is a destination in and of itself," Woods Bagot's Principal and West Coast Design Leader Matt Ducharme said. "This ambitious project intertwines the very best aspects of placemaking, sustainability and signature architecture. The expansion for SEA has many distinct attributes, but its grand stairs and focal pillar clad in locally sourced Douglas fir — from which sculptural geometries like curves and fractals emanate — are two emblematic features that succinctly convey the project's leading-edge take on contextual design."
"Woods Bagot has an established track record of designing award-winning airport terminals that break from standard airport paradigms by prioritizing an elevated passenger experience with a deep connection to place that is underpinned by sustainable initiatives that protect our future," Woods Bagot's Principal and Regional Interior Design Leader Katy Mercer, said. "The C Concourse Expansion is no exception as our reimagined guest experience for SEA fosters a clarity of movement, a sense of calm, and connection to the Pacific Northwest, all through localized materiality, framed sightlines of the outdoors, public art, and climate-conscious integrations."
Timeline, Budget
Early work is slated to begin this summer with major construction beginning in mid-2023 and construction projected to complete in 2027. Turner Construction is the GCCM (general contractor — construction manager). The Port is receiving project management and construction management support from Jacobs and Parametrix.
"Turner is excited to partner with the Port of Seattle on this first-of-its-kind sustainable project," said Turner Vice President & Construction Executive Steve Rule. "The C Concourse Expansion is an important vertical extension for the airport, integrating dining, retail, and other amenities and services. Turner Construction shares the Port's vision of advancing equity and addressing contracting disparities by increasing the utilization of WMBE and other disadvantaged firms; together, we will partner to build an amazing project while benefiting our local community."
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