Seattle, WA – February 22, 2022: Seattle-based architecture firm Weber Thompson announced today that Senior Principal and Co-Founding Partner Blaine Weber, AIA, will retire at the end of March 2022. Since its founding, Weber has been responsible for the firm’s large portfolio of award-winning, high-rise residential projects. Senior Principal and Partner Amanda Keating, AIA, LEED BD+C, will continue Weber’s legacy as she takes over the leadership of Weber Thompson’s High-Rise Design Studio.
Weber founded Weber Thompson with architect Scott Thompson in 1988. Harnessing his passion for high rise design and urban living, Weber led the design of several projects that grace the Seattle and Bellevue skylines, including Nexus, Kiara, The Post, Stratus, Cirrus, Helios, Viktoria, Ascent, Premiere on Pine, Cristalla, and Fifteen Twenty-One, as well as currently under construction projects such as The Ivey, The Ayer, and Avenue Bellevue.
Overall, Weber had a 50+ year career designing high-rise towers, hotels, luxury condominiums, and complex mixed-use projects. Outside of his projects, Weber was a tireless advocate for safeguarding the architectural profession from a risk management standpoint. He was appointed by three consecutive Governors to The Washington State Board of Architects, where he served for twelve years, and Chaired the Ethics and Practice Committee of Seattle AIA. Weber was also a staunch advocate for high-density downtown living. He has resided in downtown high rises for over twenty years while also promoting downtown through his work as Chair of the Downtown Seattle Design Review Board and the Belltown Land Use and Housing Sub-Committee of the Belltown City Council.
“Blaine has been a force at Weber Thompson. His passion for design and marketing, and his business acumen are a large part of why we have been so successful. He is the first person to acknowledge anyone’s wins and was an excellent mentor to many of our staff,” said Managing Partner Kristen Scott. “Blaine’s retirement is the next step in WT’s leadership transition that started with bringing on three new partners in 2015 when Scott Thompson retired. Blaine and Amanda have worked closely together for years leading up to this leadership transition, ensuring a smooth continuity for our clients and a rigorous attention to a high level of design.”
Keating has been with Weber Thompson since 2005, managing complex projects and teams ranging from mid-rise to high-rise residential towers. She is an inspired author and speaker and currently resides on the ULI Multifamily Product Council and the Columbia City Review Committee. “I have the utmost trust that Amanda is going to take our high-rise projects to a new level of excellence, both in design and client care,” Weber stated.
About Weber Thompson
Seattle-based Weber Thompson is a full service, West coast design firm specializing in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and community/urban design. This award-winning company has a staff of 64 design and construction professionals, housed in the celebrated Watershed, a deep green commercial office building in Fremont. Since 1988, Weber Thompson has developed a diverse practice with projects that include high-rises, high-density urban infill, residential, commercial office, hospitality, and affordable housing projects. Weber Thompson seeks effective results through a thoughtful and collaborative design process.
