Glass HousesMarch 11, 2009 By Tara MastrelliPhotography by Aaron Leitz

With an all-glass facade, courtesy of local architecture firm MulvannyG2 and renowned New York City architect Richard Gluckman, and Seattle's largest living rooftop, the Olive 8 building is hard to miss. But the tallest residential/hotel building in the city is not only making a statement in the skyline, it's on track to be home to Seattle's first LEED certified hotel—Hyatt at Olive 8.

The 346-room hotel is located on the first 17 floors of the Olive 8 building, beneath 230 condominium homes housed above. "I wanted to create interiors that were sympathetic to the skin of the building, but at the same time had a more intimate, warmer feel," says interior designer Betty Blout, founder of Seattle-based Zena Design Group, who handled the interiors. Once through the front door, guests are wrapped in natural materials: eucalyptus wood paneling, done in varying depths, covers the ceiling and front and back walls, while warm limestone running down the sidewalls seamlessly merges with the floor.

Dangling from the center of the high ceiling is a sleek custom-designed chandelier by local lighting group, Resolute, mirroring the contemporary glass of the facade into the space. "Compared to the typical guestroom, it feels quite spacious," says Blout, giving credit to built-in furniture. "It's a very clean room; clean but still very inviting." A subtle palette of blue and green sets the tone, and to conserve energy, rooms are equipped with Watt Stopper technology that triggers the lights as guests enter and exit the room, dual flush toilets, and low-flow showerheads. And what does this green milestone mean for Hyatt's corporate strategy? It's just the beginning. According to Brigitta Witt, vice president of environmental affairs, the company has just completed its new Global Sustainable Design Guidelines, completed a global assessment of its global carbon footprint, and is looking to the future. "I look forward to the time when all hotels will be 'green' hotels and 'going green' is synonymous with doing business.”

http://www.gluckmanmayner.com/; www.mulvannyg2.com/en-us; http://www.zenadesigngroup.com/; http://www.olive8.hyatt.com/

Hyatt at Olive 8, Seattle Owner: R.C. HedreenArchitecture Firms: MulvannyG2, Seattle, and Richard Gluckman, New York CityInterior Design Firm: Zena Design Group, SeattleInterior Design Project Team: Betty Blout* Designers did not provide sourcing for furnishings shown.