Pokémon at LSE

A PLAYFUL EXPANSION.

Due to the rapid growth from their Pokémon GO game, Pokémon sought a different location in the brand-new Lincoln Square Expansion Building which allowed them to double in size. The new 4-floor space houses Pokémon’s Product Marketing and Licensing Departments. This project encompassed both the business side of Pokémon and the playful consumer side. A pristine gallery environment was created to showcase Pokémon’s work. This gallery is centered around a communicating stair, connecting all 4 floors, which brings the company together with cafes, kitchens and conference areas. The café and gaming area are located directly adjacent to the communicating stair under the exposed structure, providing a large open dining environment along with intimate booth seating. A series of vistas and transparencies can be experienced from the secure lobby. The stair winds through a cylinder-like structure representing an extruded Pokéball, giving unobstructed views of Mt. Rainier. Atop the circulating stair, we designed a large sculpture which is a lit relief of the Pokéball, a reoccurring theme in Pokémon animations.