Seattle's historic Space Needle to undergo US$100m renovation
by Tom Anstey | 19 Jun 2017
Seattle’s iconic Space Needle is about to undergo a major renovation, with a refitted observation deck, glass-floored restaurant and new elevators to be installed in a modernisation of the structure.
Opened in 1962 for that year’s World’s Fair, the John Graham-designed structure has become a staple of the Seattle skyline.
US firm Olson Kundig Architects are behind the US$100m (€89.4m, £78.3m) renovation of the observation tower, which will completely revamp the 184-metre-high (603.7ft) tower.
In an effort to preserve the historic tower, Olson Kundig’s design aims to make minimal changes to the structure itself.
According to the architect, plans will see cages and metal barriers previously used for the outdoor viewing platform removed, to be replaced by tall glass screens angled outwards to avoid glare from the sun. Alternate sections of glass will also include glass benches for visitors to sit on. Additionally, double doors, a wider staircase and a lift for wheelchairs will be used to improve access.
Below the observation deck, the rotating restaurant’s floor will be replaced with glass panels, exposing its mechanics and the Seattle Center campus below. A new spiralling staircase will also be installed in the restaurant, providing a new connection between it and the observation deck.
Olson Kundig have partnered with the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board on the project, as well as local historians and preservationists, and a structural engineer who worked on the tower’s original design.
Guests visiting during the construction phase will be able to see the work in progress, including the new sections of the observation deck as they are completed. Subsequent phases of the project will include the full completion of the new restaurant and lounge experience, updating the elevators and repainting the structure.
Working with Hoffman Construction Company and Seneca Group, construction will start in September, with the first stage of development complete in June 2018. The Wright family, which owns the Space Needle is funding the entire renovation.
“I believe we’ll look back at this as a pivotal moment in the history of the Space Needle,” said chair Jeff Wright. “This project both connects us back to our roots, to the vision that my father and his partners had when they built the Space Needle in 1962, and guides us forward into the future for generations to enjoy.”
Space Needle Seattle Olson Kundig Jeff Wright Hoffman Construction Seneca Group visitor attraction observation tower glass restaurant
The new enhancements would not alter the profile of the Space Needle that help symbolise the city skyline
Renovations on the Observation Deck including the new exterior glass barriers and additional doors and stairways with increased accessibility from the interior and exterior areas Credit: Olson Kundig
The renovations of the Observation Deck include new glass structural barriers that will replace the wire safety 'caging' on the outer open-air Observation Deck Credit: Olson Kundig
The renovated Observation Deck will include interior enhancements include new floor-to-ceiling glass walls, new doors and stairs
The design intent to return to the minimalist original interior exposing the core of the structure
The design principle of the renovation was about “getting out of the way of the view.
At the base of the new stairway will be a glass-floored oculus revealing views of the Needle’s steel superstructure and the elevators and counterweights ascending and descending
The Space Needle has been working with world-renowned designer Adam D. Tihany of Tihany Design to create a new restaurant and lounge experience that will showcase the thrilling views
Seattle’s iconic Space Needle is about to undergo a major renovation, with a refitted observation deck, glass-floored restaurant and new elevators to be installed in a modernisation of the structure. Opened in 1962 for that year’s World’s Fair, the John Graham-designed structure has become a staple of the Seattle skyline. US firm Olson Kundig Architects are behind the US$100m (€89.4m, £78.3m) renovation of the observation tower, which will completely revamp
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