Dexter Yard | SkB Architects

Located at 700 Dexter Ave. N. and scheduled for completion in late 2021, Dexter Yard will offer approximately 500,000 rentable square feet of office space and approximately 25,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. According to Kyle Gaffney, co-lead designer on the project, “The vision of Dexter Yard stems from the desire to create a meaningful sense of place, activity and gathering for the community of South Lake Union, and also to break down the traditional boundaries between “work” and “life” both visually and experientially."

The ground plane and pedestrian experience are hugely important design drivers, as they support an 18 hour experience and activate the entire project for tenants and the community. Intentionally porous with entrances on all side of the property, there are blurred lines between what is public space and what is private space making everything more inviting. Landscaping elements at varying scales create visual interest, “eddies” in which to linger or sit and lead to small moments of discovery. Materiality, tactility and lighting have all been emphasized to provide a layered richness to the experience.

The Dexter Yard name reflects the project’s open, community-centric design and unique amenity space — the Field House. Situated at the southwest corner of the property, the Field House is an open athletic field / multi-use / convertible space that invites tenants and neighbors alike to play on-site. Visible from multiple vantage points from within the project and from the street, Dexter Yard’s through-block connections and Field House space invite on-going activity and community engagement beyond the typical 9 to 5.