Seattle Architecture: It’s Not All About The Space Needle

When you think of Seattle, most think of music, art and people that push the boundaries. If you ask about an iconic building, hands down, it is the Space Needle. Most images of Seattle feature this iconic building.

The Space Needle is a landmark of the Pacific Northwest, and an icon of Seattle. It was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World’s Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors. The downtown Seattle skyline, as well as the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay and surrounding islands can be viewed from the top of the Needle. The trip takes 41 seconds. On windy days, the elevators slow to 5 miles per hour. In April 1999, the Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board designated it as a historic landmark.

But architecture in Seattle is so much more than the iconic Space Needle. The feel and character of the city is reflected in the shapes of its’ architecture. The innovation of Frank O. Gehry bursts out of Seattle Center with vibrant colors and eccentric curves. Other landmarks turn heads and attracts visitors for its unique design. Here are just a few examples of the true architecture of Seattle:

Olympic Sculpture Park – The park was opened in 2007 and houses 25 permanent sculptures by celebrated artists such as Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Serra and Louise Bourgeois.

Pioneer Square – The classic historical enclave in Seattle.

Chapel of Ignatius – A place of Catholic worship for campus Jesuits, the abstract, modern chapel was built to be an instrument of shifting daylight, mirroring a spiritual journey, particularly the experience of a Catholic Mass.

Georgetown – An industrial neighborhood is a food and drink magnet that feels like it’s in the midst of a transition.

The Thompson Seattle – Located on an ideal corner, overlooking Pike Place Market. The exterior is inspired by the change in the street grid among neighborhoods and evokes a sense of ordered motion.

From The Factory Floor

Rock crystal chandelier crated and ready to go!

By Gerald Olesker, CEO, ADG Lighting

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