DJC.COM -- Landscape Northwest 2004 -- Surveys

Swift & Co.

Management: Barbara Swift, principal
Specialty: Landscape architecture and urban design
Year founded: 1982
Current projects: Seattle Monorail Project, Grand Tetons National Park visitor center, Washington State University biotechnology laboratory, seven Seattle libraries, Ballard civic center

The weak economy hasn’t hurt Swift & Co.’s business.

Rendering courtesy of Swift & Co.

Swift & Co. has integrated ‘wild qualities’ into its design for the Grand Tetons National Park visitor center.

“We saw a slight flutter with the dot-com crash,” said principal Barbara Swift, “but we haven’t really seen significant change in business volume.” She said the five-person firm based in South Lake Union is expanding its geographic area to include Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon, and will be looking to make a new hire or two in the next several months.

“We’re really busy, we’ve got fabulous work, the clients are just terrific.” About two-thirds of the firm’s work is in the public sector.

Swift said the Grand Tetons National Park visitor center project is remarkable for its focus on giving visitors a completely integrated experience, inside and out. “We’re going to not domesticate the experience, so hopefully the visitor gets a taste of the wild qualities of the Tetons,” she said. The firm has also been involved in the systemwide design of the Seattle Monorail Project and is continuing to work on station design and ongoing urban design. It is also starting work on two ferry terminals.