Header: Lauren K. Davis / feinknopf
The Summit Building opened in Seattle in January 2023 as the new addition to the Seattle Convention Center, designed by LMN Architects, with HLB Lighting Design responsible for the lighting. Later, in 2025, the project received a LIT Lighting Design Award in the “Energy-Saving Lighting Systems” category.
Light used with intention
From the start, the lighting was treated as part of the overall design rather than something applied afterwards for functionality. On a small site in a busy city, that meant working closely with the architecture and interior design teams and dealing with each area according to its intended use and needs.
At 58,000 square feet, the ballroom is one of the main rooms in the building, boasting a unique wormwood ceiling inspired by forest canopies. The lighting designers were careful to add the lighting fixtures directly to the ceiling design, attempting to create an almost ethereal glow with no source in sight. Here, glowing pendants throw a warm wash across the room, while hidden motorised fixtures handle framing, gobo effects and colour. These are linked through a DMX system, so the room can change character from one event to the next without bringing in temporary lighting.
In public areas such as the Mixing Zone, lighting was used to put a spotlight on some design elements, avoiding spills into the rest of the space. Art panels, for example, are lit with framing projectors, while the meeting room entrances on the third and fourth floors were given recessed linear Targetti JEDI fixtures in 3000K to light the beautiful wood walls. For the historic Camlin Hotel façade across from the convention centre, on the other hand, the lighting designers used Targetti DART MAXI fixtures fitted with custom accessories. The framing projectors can be controlled individually, helping reduce glare and keep the fittings hidden alongside precision optics and elongated louvres.
Sustainability approach
The building achieved LEED Platinum certification, with its lighting design using 34% less energy than Seattle’s code requires. LED lighting is supported by daylight sensors, occupancy sensors, timed controls and area-based dimming, so light levels can respond to different conditions and uses. The system is also connected to the wider building management system, which allows settings to be adjusted over time. Materials were chosen with embodied carbon in mind, while warm, layered lighting was used throughout the building.
Project info
Prize: Winners in Energy Saving Lighting Systems at the LIT Awards
Lighting Design Company: HLB Lighting Design
Lead Designer: Michael Lindsey
Other Designers’ names: E. Teal Brogden, Samuel Hewett
Architecture Company: LMN Architects
Interior Design Company: LMN Architects
Client: Seattle Convention Center
Project Date: January 2023
Project Location: Seattle, USA
