SEATTLE, WA — Heidi Bullinga, AIA, joins HNTB’s Seattle office as Senior Project Manager and Lead Architect for the West Seattle and Ballard light rail program. In this position, Bullinga will play an integral role in the expansion of the Link Light Rail to West Seattle and to Ballard, the largest transit investment in Seattle history. She is tasked with overseeing and managing the architectural firms designing the 13 new and expanded stations along the line.

“Throughout my career, I have been increasingly drawn to large-scale projects in the transit and urban design sector with a focus on sustainability, and I am ecstatic about being part of the team that will help shape the future of public transit in Seattle,” Bullinga said. “I’m looking forward to working with Sound Transit and helping make this incredible project a streamlined effort that will showcase the collective vision of the extremely talented architects and design teams that are continuing to uphold Seattle’s reputation as a leader in sustainable urban design.”

Throughout her 29-year career, Bullinga has served as an architect and urban designer for dozens of projects of various sizes and scopes in both the private and public sectors. She specializes in projects involving mixed-use, multi-story buildings, intermodal transit hubs, and creating more walkable urban districts with activated storefronts, all with a focus on sustainability.

In New York City, Bullinga began her foray into public-facing projects by creating amenities for subway passengers and collaborated with organizations and agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Department of Buildings, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Bullinga also has played a key role in numerous large-scale transit projects in the western United States and Canada. In Seattle, she was Project Manager for the Downtown Seattle Association’s Third Avenue Vision Plan to transform the Third Avenue area through the components of transportation, parks and public space, private property and retail, urban design, and management and stewardship. She also served as Deputy Project Manager for the Pike and Pine Streetscape Improvements, working with the Seattle Department of Transportation to enhance the prime streets that serve as the front door to Seattle’s retail core and link the Pike Place Market, Westlake Park, and the Convention Center.

Additional noteworthy involvements have included Project Architect for a light rail extension to connect Old Town San Diego with the University of San Diego campus and Project Architect for the Keystone Hills Core Plan to accommodate the rapidly growing northern suburb of Calgary, Canada.

Most recently, Bullinga served as Project Manager for a collaborative project with Sound Transit in Seattle to create an agency-transforming document called the Station Experience Design Guidelines. The guidelines reflect the strategic shift of the agency’s focus from delivering on-time and on-budget capital projects to enhancing the passenger experience by improving station design, environments, and other key elements.

“Since coming onboard, Heidi has made a big impact with her ideas, inspiration, and expertise in integrating architecture, urban design, and transit,” said Kim Proia, Vice President and Project Director with HNTB. “We are confident she will continue to be a huge asset for HNTB and our clients.”

Bullinga earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University and holds a Master of Science in architecture and urban design from Columbia University.