Port of Seattle has selected global design firm HOK to lead the next piece of its massive capital improvement program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The St. Louis-based firm was named lead designer for the airport’s S Concourse renovation, one of several mega-projects in design or underway at the airport.
HOK has previously worked on the airport’s $38.4 million D Concourse annex, which opened in 2018. It is also the designer for the $547 million SEA Gateway project the airport is undertaking jointly with Alaska Airlines, which will reconstruct the main check-in areas of the North Terminal.
“HOK has a longstanding relationship with both the Port of Seattle and SEA Airport,” Todd Buchanan, HOK’s principal-in-charge on the project, said in a news release. “We’re honored that they’ve entrusted us with this strategically significant project, and we look forward to exceeding the expectations of the airport and its travelers with a transformed S Concourse.”
With completion targeted for 2031, the S Concourse renovation is expected to cost a total of $1.5 billion. The port has so far budgeted $674 million through 2027 for its initial stages.
Prior to the opening of the nearly $1 billion International Arrivals Facility in 2022, the S Concourse, also known as the airport’s South Satellite, was its entry point for international traffic. The project will bring the concourse up to modern seismic and structural standards, as well as add capacity for the expected growth in international travel demand.
The project will also add passenger amenities like dining, shopping and new seating areas and bring the facility in line with recently completed projects like the arrivals facility, its central terminal renovation and the $710 million N Concourse expansion.
“HOK’s design strategy for the project revolves around three guiding principles: the positive effects of daylight, the relaxing quality of openness and the creation of a unique sense of place,” said Keith Hui, who heads up Pacific Northwest aviation and transportation projects for HOK. “By incorporating these principles, the design will provide an environment that reduces stress and is intuitive to navigate, thus enhancing the overall traveler experience.”