21003 Seattle Space Needle

21003 Seattle Space Needle is an Architecture set that was released in 2009. The set includes a model of the Seattle Space Needle. It was designed by Chicago architect Adam Reed Tucker.
== Description ==
The set includes 57 pieces to build the Seattle Space Needle, stationed in Washington in the USA, without including any minifigures, as with all sets of the 2009 Architecture line. The model is mainly build with TECHNIC pieces, yet there are System pieces to build the roof and the stand. The sets colour is light grey, including a black stand with the words "Seattle Space Needle".
== Background ==
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is a city landmark and is considered an icon of Seattle. It was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors. Nearly 20,000 people a day used its elevators during the event.
Once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, it is 605 ft (184 m) high, 138 ft (42 m) wide, and weighs 9,550 short tons (8,660 tonnes). It is built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude, as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. It also has 25 lightning rods.
The Space Needle has an observation deck at 520 ft (160 m) and the rotating (currently closed) SkyCity restaurant at 500 ft (150 m). 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.
Visitors can reach the top of the Space Needle by elevators that travel at 10 mph (16 km/h). The trip takes 41 seconds. On windy days, the elevators slow to 5 mph (8.0 km/h). On April 19, 1999, the city's Landmarks Preservation Board designated it a historic landmark.
In September 2017, the tower's restaurant was closed as part of a $100 million renovation. The renovation included the installation of a new rotation motor and see-through glass floors in the restaurant space, as well as the replacement of the observation deck's wire enclosure with glass panels. The space reopened in August 2018 as the Loupe, an indoor observation deck.
== Notes ==
* The set has been priced at £17.99 and £19.99 on the LEGO website in the UK.
== LEGO.com Description ==
== Gallery ==
21003_alt3.png
21003_alt2.png
21003.jpg|The set.
== External Links ==
Category:Architecture
Category:2009 sets
Category:20000 sets
Category:21000 sets