HOSPITALITY
Successful hospitality has to be welcoming and enriching, finding success when people want to come back again and again. The service, the food, the beverages are all critical pieces of the puzzle. Working hand in hand with the vision of a proprietor is when we’re able to strike that same tone in the space, creating the foundation for a fully harmonious experience.
Climate Pledge Arena - Premium Lounge Refresh
Cureo partnered with Climate Pledge Arena to reimagine its premium lounge experience through a strategic, light-touch refresh approach. Rather than wholesale renovation, the work focused on identifying how each space could better serve its audience—clarifying purpose, elevating experience, and strengthening connection to Seattle’s culture. Through a master planning effort, Cureo defined distinct identities for the three lounge environments and led the design and execution of the approach in the Verizon Lounge and Space Needle Lounge. By layering materiality, lighting, and curated visual storytelling onto existing architecture, the team transformed underwhelming spaces into vibrant destinations—without demolition or structural change.
The result is a series of lounges that feel rooted in Seattle, operationally effective, and continuously engaging—demonstrating how thoughtful, strategic design can deliver outsized impact.
Completed 2025
Climate Pledge - Verizon Lounge Refresh
The Verizon Lounge at Climate Pledge Arena had a strong spatial foundation but lacked warmth, identity, and connection to both Seattle and the arena experience. Defined by stark contrasts—bright ceilings, dark finishes, and minimal layering—it felt cold and disconnected. Cureo approached the project as a strategic reimagining within the constraint of preserving existing architecture. The focus was on layering materiality, furniture, lighting, and storytelling to transform experience. Wood veneer ceilings introduced warmth and human scale, while a refined lighting hierarchy—chandeliers, bar lighting, and ambient layers—created intimacy and focus. The bar was reclad in downlit bronze textured panels, establishing it as a central anchor.
Curated elements like backlit guitars, sports memorabilia, records, and posters tie the space to its cultural and event context, creating moments of discovery. New furniture strategies—varied seating types and configurations—introduced flexibility and social zones, supported by features like the booth celebrating Kraken and arena founder David Bonderman, which grounds the space in the arena’s story. Executed within an active venue, the project prioritized high-impact interventions over demolition. The result is a warm, layered, distinctly Seattle lounge that feels both elevated and inviting.
Completed 2025
Climate Pledge - Space Needle Lounge Refresh
The Space Needle Lounge at Climate Pledge Arena occupied a prime upper-level location but lacked identity, functioning more as a pass-through than a destination. Cureo repositioned it with a clear concept: an elevated, Seattle-inspired dive bar—social, approachable, and full of character. Playful elements like shuffleboard, darts, pinball, and large-format screens transformed it into an active, participatory space. With architecture largely fixed—including the LED ceiling—the design focused on layering. Wood veneer added warmth, while existing lighting was reinterpreted, including a central chandelier reclad in metallic electrical cord for a more raw, textural feel. Human-scale lighting, like custom bar lamps made from collaged ticket stubs, introduced both intimacy and narrative.
Additional layers—CDs, lava lamps, record sleeves, and posters—create an immersive, nostalgic environment. Eclectic furniture supports varied social use while reinforcing a lived-in feel. Executed within an active venue, the project relied on targeted interventions to drive impact—transforming an overlooked space into a highly active, revenue-generating destination.
Completed 2025
Bayernmoor Tasting Room
This tasting room for Bayernmoor Cellars in the famed Woodinville Downtown District was designed to embody the hospitality and warmth of the family owners. Seating designed for people to stay and converse, ample daylight, and views out to the greenbelt all come together to create a comfortable respite within the bustle of the district. The wine is the focal point, on display along the back wall anchoring the space, shielding the kitchen and framing the entry into the private dining room. The space encourages people to stay and enjoy connecting with friends and family over a glass, or in some cases a bottle, of the wonderful Bayernmoor wine selection.
Work done while at SkB Architects, 2020
Dexter Yard Retail + Amenity
The activation of the street level spaces in Dexter Yard drove the building design from the beginning, and with the retail and amenity projects, we were able to fulfill that vision started years earlier of creating a destination for recreation and fun in the South Lake Union community. The Beer Hall is an easy walk-in spot to get together and enjoy casual company with friends, family and coworkers, either inside or on the surrounding patio overlooking the recreation in the adjacent Field House. The Rec Room is the grown-up version of the basement game room you wish you’d had as a kid, a place to gather around activity and fun, including darts, bowling, and a sports simulator in addition to the restaurant and bar. The Speakeasy is tucked away and offers an elevated, intimate cocktail lounge vibe with thoughtfully curated details throughout. These offerings come together to create a choose-your-own-adventure fun, food, and beverage experience without ever needing to leave the block.
Work done thru mid-design phase while at SkB Architects, 2023