Overview
This complex renovation transformed a two-story office building on the Lake Union waterfront into a 16,200 SF destination restaurant for Duke’s Seafood & Chowder. The project reimagined the structure to include an event space and kitchen on the first floor and a full restaurant and kitchen above, all centered around expanded lakefront views.
A key design move involved relocating the exterior wall inward to enlarge the outdoor deck, creating one of Seattle’s premier waterfront dining experiences. The project also included significant structural upgrades, new stair configurations, and extensive interior reconstruction to support the new use—including the unique feature of a rooftop fishing boat entry experience.
From an engineering perspective, the project presented significant challenges due to the constraints of the existing building. Tight structural conditions required innovative HVAC and plumbing solutions, including the use of an elevated floor system to accommodate utilities within limited space.
HV Engineering provided mechanical and plumbing engineering services, developing creative, high-performance system solutions to integrate within the existing structure and support the restaurant’s complex operational needs.
