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Expedia Readying Expansion Plans For New Campus In Seattle, Washington

03/09/2016
Expedia, Inc. released the initial design for its future campus expansion in Seattle, Washington. The company plans to relocate from Bellevue to Seattle in 2019.

According to company officials, designed by the Seattle office of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, in conjunction with STUDIOS Architecture and PWP Landscape Architecture, the architecture of the new Seattle campus is primarily transparent, connecting employees with views of Elliott Bay, Mt. Rainier and the Olympic Mountains.

Early designs for the campus show that the company will repurpose four existing laboratory buildings into new open workspaces, as well as build a new approximately 600,000 sq. ft. four-story office building that will contain an entrance lobby, conference center, workspace and other campus amenities. Additionally, there will be a large focus on enhancing the outdoor space that includes an exterior courtyard, a large campus lawn, and a series of outdoor work areas and recreation spaces.

"Working to conceptualize and ultimately bring to life Expedia's permanent home in Seattle has been an exciting journey since we announced our plans to move last April," said Dara Khosrowshahi, President/CEO Expedia, Inc. "Although these are early designs, we are very excited about the direction our campus is heading and feel that it brings together all that we are – a leading technology company revolutionizing the world of travel with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest. This will be an environment that will help us retain and build a world-class team of diverse, talented and passionate employees as we continue to grow."

A key aspect of this project is flexibility for Expedia to continue to expand in one place as it grows over the long-term, company officials noted. In this regard Expedia is currently analyzing three possible 15-year capacity alternatives. Phase I will include approximately 1.2M sq. ft. of office space and 2,670 total parking stalls.

Construction on Phase I is planned to begin in late 2016. Future possible phases include the option to build an additional approximately 415,000 sq. ft. and 630 parking stalls in Phase II and a potential Phase III with approximately 315,000 sq. ft. of new office space. If Phase II or III are utilized, they would happen sometime in the 15-year timeframe planned to be granted by the City of Seattle's Major Phased Development process. The goal is to preserve nearly 40 percent of the more than 40-acre campus as open space.

"What we heard from Expedia was the importance of making a place that represents their values and showcases who they are as a travel and technology company," said Peter Bohlin, Founding Principal of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. "Our design focuses on shaping an environment for people that promotes collaboration and innovation and provides the company with a design that celebrates the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

This is evident in every aspect of the campus, from its landscape to the transparent architecture, strengthening the connection to the water and mountains beyond."

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