The courtyard doughnut shape is critical to the two main design priorities: daylighting and natural ventilation. Natural daylighting was achieved through the shallow floor plate depths and high ceilings allowing for light to penetrate the interior of the offices from both the exterior of the building and the core open-air courtyard. Daylighting models were tested at the University of Washington’s Integrated Design Lab to ensure even lighting and minimizing glare to users working on computers. Within the bulk of the building, daylight sensors are on all lighting within 15 feet of the windows and Energy Star equipment is provided to reduce the plug load.
