Olson Kundig

Originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair as a beacon of optimism, possibility and futurism, the Space Needle has become an international icon of the Pacific Northwest and a symbol of Seattle. Over half a century later, the Space Needle again looked to the future with the undertaking of a significant redesign project aimed to bring the building into the 21st century with an elevated visitor experience.

Led by Alan Maskin (Project Design Lead) and Blair Payson (Project Architect), both owners of Seattle-based design firm Olson Kundig, the Space Needle’s redesigned “core and shell” builds on the same conceptual premise that originally informed the Space Needle itself—a place devoted to observation. The building’s enhanced sense of transparency re-emphasizes the Needle’s original guiding principle, to provide unparalleled views of the city.

“We set out to make a new form of observation architecture,” Alan shared. “One that would connect visitors to the expansive vistas of the region in ways that were outside the realm of the predictable, the safe, and the expected.”

New Heights: Transforming Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle, set to be published on February 3, 2024 by The Images Publishing Group, provides readers with a visually engaging narrative detailing the $100 million transformation of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle. It documents the latest chapter in the Space Needle’s history with an in-depth look at the innovations, challenges, and triumphs—from the earliest concept sketches to the project’s complex delivery—as seen through the eyes of the architects who guided its creation.

“A construction project 500 feet in the air—you might as well be building in outer space!” added Blair. “It made sense that the consultant team included experts from the aerospace, robotics, and space launch industries.”

New Heights: Transforming Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle is available to purchase at a number of Seattle booksellers, as well as online via The Images Publishing Group, Bookshop, Amazon, and more.