The article and corresponding multimedia slideshow provide a glimpse inside The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters, which is outfitted with thousands of feet of striking curved wooden handrails and paneling custom crafted by Seattle Stair & Design, as well as a reclaimed solid ash stool designed by Meyer Wells and turned on the lathe by Seattle Stair & Design.
Photo: Joshua Trujillo for Seattle PI
Photo: Stuart Isett for the New York Times
The spacious mezzanine of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation features a suspended staircase outfitted with 2,000 feet of curved wooden handrails and 1,000 feet of curved paneling custom built by Seattle Stair & Design.
Photo: Stuart Isett for the New York Times
The “diving board” style hall leads to a panoramic corridor sparsely furnished with two chairs and a reclaimed solid ash stool designed by Meyer Wells and turned on the lathe by Seattle Stair & Design.
The tandem of utility and radiance captured in the staircases and stool permeates the essence of the entire space, which is defined in the article as a forerunner in the staggering trend of businesses abandoning the traditional work environment.
Indulging their employees in boundless ceilings, sweeping panes of glass, and the freedom to migrate, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has recognized the different “modes” of their employees and created a variety of spaces that cultivate creativity and respect personal preference.
For more coverage of our involvement with the construction of the staircases in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters, please see the additional blogposts and articles.
http://seattlestair.blogspot.com/2011/06/staircase-railing-of-new-seattle.html
http://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/article/stair-master
Mary Anne Carter
Assistant Director of Marketing
