Seattle’s arts landscape is set for a major expansion as Nebula Seattle, an upcoming immersive theater project, has officially announced its future home in the historic Buttnick Building at the corner of First Avenue and South Washington Street. The 20,000-square-foot redevelopment will transform the northern half of the Grand Central Block into what organizers describe as a “living dream laboratory,” slated to open at the end of 2026.
Unlike traditional performing arts venues, Nebula Seattle will not feature a standard raised stage or seated auditorium. Instead, the space itself will function as a multi-room, walk-through performance environment, where audiences and actors move together inside a story that unfolds throughout the building. Organizers say the venue will merge technology, design, and live performance to create fully immersive narratives—walls that “breathe with story,” lighting that behaves “like memory,” and rooms built to shift with the guest’s perspective.
The project is led by Ripple Productions, the nonprofit behind Café Nordo, in partnership with developer Greg Smith of Urban Visions. The team aims to create the Pacific Northwest’s first permanent, large-scale immersive theatrical venue, launching with its debut production, Nebula Seattle: A Cabinet of Dreams.
To bring the concept to life, Nebula Seattle will commission approximately $1.2 million in original art installations and employ a full-time, salaried cast of performers—an uncommon model in the regional arts ecosystem. The venue will also include an interactive food and beverage program designed by Café Nordo’s award-winning culinary team.
Nebula Seattle is currently in the midst of a $4.2 million capital campaign and has already raised more than $1 million from early supporters. Donors contributing $5,000 or more will have the opportunity to be recognized on the project’s “Wall of Dreamers.” The organization is accepting contributions in the form of individual gifts, stock donations, multi-year pledges, and corporate matches.
With construction plans moving forward and fundraising underway, Nebula Seattle is positioning itself as a major new creative hub for Pioneer Square—and an ambitious step forward for immersive art in the region.