Deco Seattle
Historic and beautiful buildings in Seattle, Washington.
The occasional off-topic but architecture-related post.
All posts are my original work unless stated otherwise.
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Talking Book and Braille Library in the Denny Regrade area near downtown, displays a simple facade, but the pastel color choices and roundness make it unmistakably deco. I still haven’t been inside, but here’s a look at the street view.
Take a peek!
Photos taken December 2011
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Puget Sound Notion Building Sign and some other pretty finds, taken around Denny Triangle and South Lake Union. Happy New Year!
Enjoy
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Washington Athletic Club in downtown, dates back to 1930. Stunning deco detailing from the eagles to the arched brick and terra cotta columns.
More info about it here: https://www.wac.net/about-the-wac/history
Photo taken December 2009
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Two little shots from my walk around yesterday; the doorway to the “new” Seattle Times building, and an old zephyr I saw in a repair lot on my way to the bus stop. Representatives of another era. I especially like the articulations around the windows and lantern- very cool. Celebrate history
Enjoy!
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The old Troy Laundry building, on 307 Fairview Avenue North in South Lake Union. It was once the largest laundry building in the entire Northwest United States, but now sits empty and in a very sad state, but thankfully the city designated it a local landmark in 1996, preventing its demolition. I walked by it today and decided to catalog the facade and detailing, so here it is. You can read more about the building here: http://www.historylink.org/cybertour/pdf/luwalkingtour.pdf It is featured #12 on the walking tour list.
Photos taken December 29, 2011
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A far more recent example of what one might call “modernist deco”. The 772-foot tall 1201 3rd Avenue was constructed in 1988 and quickly became one of the most popular skyscrapers in the city, and has won several national architecture awards. The aesthetic nature of the vertical lines and the colors of the facade landed this building a place in the deco category, despite being only 23 years old. Someday I hope to see the view from the top. It was once the Washington Mutual headquarters, and was locally nicknamed “the Sparkplug”.
Photo taken July 2009
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Two of my favorite structures on First Hill, the University House in the foreground, and the Gainsborough behind. I hope these relics survive the next wave of modernization striking the hill, as the four hospitals nearby are constantly expanding, and the need for higher density housing so close to downtown is rising as well.
Photo taken from Madison Street and Boren Avenue.
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Paramount Theatre, one of the finest examples of maintained deco architecture in Seattle. It was built in 1928 by the Paramount Pictures movie studio itself, and the sign was replaced in 2010.
The building currently hosts live music, comedy, plays and occasional movie screenings. It is under ongoing renovation, and the city is building a light rail tunnel connecting to neighboring Capitol Hill beneath it at the moment.
Located on Pine Street and 9th Avenue in midtown Seattle.
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And another of ol’ Smith (it’s on the left).
taken January 2009
