About the Needle - Space Needle ABOUT THE NEEDLE Contact SPACE NEEDLE HISTORY: SKETCHY BEGINNINGS In 1959, an unlikely artist was inspired by the Stuttgart Tower in Germany and sketched a vision of a dominant central structure for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair on a napkin in a coffee house. The artist was Edward E. Carlson, then president of Western International Hotels. His space-age image was to be the focus of the futuristic World’s Fair in Seattle, whose theme would be the 21st Century. Carlson penciled a shape that became Seattle’s internationally renown landmark, the Space Needle. However, Carlson and his supporters soon found moving the symbol from the napkin to the drawing board to the construction phase was far from easy. The first obstacle was the structure’s design. Carlson’s initial sketch underwent many transformations. One drawing resembled a tethered balloon, another was a balloon-shaped top house on a central column anchored by cables. Architect John Graham, fresh from his success in designing the world’s first shopping mall (Seattle’s Northgate), turned the balloon design into a flying saucer.

A dozen architects on Graham’s team worked on sketches and ideas before a final design was reached just a year and a half before the World’s Fair The next hurdles were location and financing. Since the Space Needle was to be privately financed, it had to be situated on land which could be acquired for public use but built within the fairgrounds. Early investigations indicated such a plot of land did not exist. However, just before the search was abandoned, a suitable 120-foot-by-120-foot piece of land was found and sold to investors for $75,000 in 1961, just 13 months before the World’s Fair opening. Construction, managed by the Howard S. Wright Construction Company, progressed quickly. An underground foundation was poured into a hole 30 feet deep and 120 feet across. It took 467 cement trucks an entire day to fill the hole, and was the largest continuous concrete pour ever attempted in the West. Once completed, the foundation weighed as much as the Space Needle itself, establishing the center of gravity just five feet above ground. The five level top house dome was completed with special attention paid to the revolving restaurant level and Observation Deck.

The top house was balanced so perfectly that the restaurant rotated with just a one horsepower electric motor. In keeping with the 21st Century theme, the final coats of paint were dubbed Astronaut White for the legs, Orbital Olive for the core, Re-entry Red for the halo and Galaxy Gold for the sunburst and pagoda roof. The 605-foot tall Space Needle was completed in December 1961 and officially opened a mere four months later on the first day of the World’s Fair, April 21, 1962. The Weather Needle Storms occasionally force closure of the Space Needle, as they did for the Columbus Day storm of 1962 and the “Inauguration Day” storm of 1993 when winds reached 90 miles per hour. The Needle is built to withstand a wind velocity of 200 miles per hour. The Space Needle has withstood several tremors, too, including a 2001 earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale. Seattle has a bad rap for being rainy, mostly because of its continually cloudy skies between October and May. Seattle actually gets less rain than Boston, New York, and Atlanta.

Between May and September, downtown Seattle enjoys 71 sunny days on average. Seattle 1962 World's Fair in photos - seattlepi.com Seattle 1962 World's Fair in photos Century 21 theme began April 21, 1962 By CASEY MCNERTHNEY, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF Published 9:30 pm, Friday, April 20, 2012 Image 1of/84 Close Image 1 of 84 A 1950 drawing of what was proposed for what's now Seattle Center, years before the World's Fair was a reality. The same day this drawing ran in the P-I, Jan. 8, 1950, the P-I ran the first article about the potential for a Seattle-area world's fair. (seattlepi.com file) The first discussion of a World's Fair in Seattle came in early 1950. The first discussion of a World's Fair in Seattle came in early 1950.

Image 3 of 84 City planners in 1950 called this section of the city a "blighted area." It's now Seattle Center, which was home to the 1962 World's fair. (seattlepi.com file) City planners in 1950 called this section of the city a "blighted area." It's now Seattle Center, which was home to the 1962 World's fair. (seattlepi.com file) Image 4 of 84 A worker completes finishing details on Gayway ride at the Seattle World's Fair on April 18, 1962. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer photo) A worker completes finishing details on Gayway ride at the Seattle World's Fair on April 18, 1962. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer photo) Photo: Museum Of History And Industry Image 5 of 84 These tumblers were given free in 1962 but now fetch at least $10 at Northwest antique stores. These tumblers were given free in 1962 but now fetch at least $10 at Northwest antique stores.

Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com Image 6 of 84 Elvis Presley came to Seattle in 1962 to star in "It Happened at the World's Fair." The P-I reported the New Washington Hotel was "under siege by an army of starry-eyed teenage girls.'" National critics said the flick was forgettable, but the title said it all about the 1962 fair. Ten million people did come. (This picture of Presley was from his Sept. 1, 1957 visit to Sicks' Stadium in the Rainier Valley. (MOHAI/Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection) Photo: P-I File Image 8 of 84 Sal Durante explains to his girlfriend the plan for the 1962 World's Fair: Roger Maris' 61st home run ball was to be dropped from the Space Needle; if Durante caught it, he would earn $1,000.

Sal Durante explains to his girlfriend the plan for the 1962 World's Fair: Roger Maris' 61st home run ball was to be dropped from the Space Needle; if Durante caught it, he would earn $1,000. Photo: / Associated Press Image 9 of 84 Elvis Presley visited Seattle to make his 11th motion picture, "It Happened at the World's Fair." Colonel Tom Parker (second from right) accompanied him. At the Westlake Monorail station, Elvis posed with Governor Albert Rosellini (left) on September 5, 1962. The ham was reportedly from Presley's Tennessee farm. Other individuals in the photo are Ted Richmond (second from left), the producer of the movie and Norman Taurog (right), the director. Here, a helicopter buzzes past the needle in 1962. (Seattle Municipal Archives) Here, a helicopter buzzes past the needle in 1962. (Seattle Municipal Archives) Image 13 of 84 The March 1962 P-I photo caption read: Magnificent sculpturing provides focal point for World's Fair Building.

The March 1962 P-I photo caption read: Magnificent sculpturing provides focal point for World's Fair Building. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 14 of 84 Anne Merbury, 21-year-old California coed, is tapped by Pinkerton guard C.E. Frazier as the millionth visitor to the Million Dollar exhibit at the Seattle World's Fair. Merbury was given 100 silver dollars by Walter D. Behlen, the exhibit's sponsor. June 12, 1962. International Fountain construction. April 23, 1962. International Fountain construction. April 23, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 17 of 84 Parking was tough for the 1962 Seattle's World's Fair, of which the Space Needle was the top attraction. ( Seattle Municipal Archives /71947) Parking was tough for the 1962 Seattle's World's Fair, of which the Space Needle was the top attraction. ( Seattle Municipal Archives /71947) Photo: P-I File Image 18 of 84 The Space Needle, early 1962.

Note the flames coming from the antenna; the Needle was equipped with natural gas, which was burned at the top periodically for dramatic effect. The Space Needle, early 1962. Note the flames coming from the antenna; the Needle was equipped with natural gas, which was burned at the top periodically for dramatic effect. Photo: P-I File Image 19 of 84 Workmen complete work on the roof of the igloo-shaped Alaska exhibit building at base of the Space Needle, 1962. Workmen complete work on the roof of the igloo-shaped Alaska exhibit building at base of the Space Needle, 1962. Photo: P-I File The Space Needle and Monorail, March 23, 1962. The Space Needle and Monorail, March 23, 1962. Photo: P-I File The Space Needle still under construction, March, 1962 The Space Needle still under construction, March, 1962 Photo: P-I File Image 22 of 84 The Space Needle had a post office, which was dedicated April 25, 1962, the day this photo was taken.

The Space Needle had a post office, which was dedicated April 25, 1962, the day this photo was taken. Photo: P-I File Image 23 of 84 Senator Warren G. Magnuson and Postmaster General of the United States J. Edward Day mailed the first letter from the Space Needle post office, April 25, 1962. The letter was to President John F. Kennedy, asking him to come to the World's Fair. Kennedy was scheduled to visit later in 1962, but canceled saying he had a cold. It was later revealed he was dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The restaurant at the top of the Space Needle, April 3, 1962. The restaurant at the top of the Space Needle, April 3, 1962. Photo: P-I File The Space Needle, May 1962. The Space Needle, May 1962. Photo: P-I File Image 26 of 84 Here, 21 21-year-old women pose for a publicity photo in front of the Coliseum construction on April 21, 1961.

(MOHAI photo) Here, 21 21-year-old women pose for a publicity photo in front of the Coliseum construction on April 21, 1961. (MOHAI photo) Image 27 of 84 The 1961 photo caption read: The first two of six supporting columns for the World's Fair Space Needle are shown being connected to the needle's center core, 100 feet from the base. The 50-ton legs are 90 feet long and are connected to the core by 30-foot crossbars. The Spce Needle will rise 600 feet and will feature a revolving restaurant at the top. Photo: P-I File Image 29 of 84 Sen. Warren Magnuson speaks to the crowd gathered for the re-opening of the Pacific Science Center following the World’s Fair, Oct. 22, 1962. A model of the Mariner Space Craft is suspended above the podium. Sen. Warren Magnuson speaks to the crowd gathered for the re-opening of the Pacific Science Center following the World’s Fair, Oct. 22, 1962.

A model of the Mariner Space Craft is suspended above the podium. Photo: Seattle P-I/MOHAI / The Pacific Science Center during the 1962 World's Fair (photo courtesy Pacific Science Center). The Pacific Science Center during the 1962 World's Fair (photo courtesy Pacific Science Center). Photo: / Image 31 of 84 The Nov. 1961 photo caption read: The first concrete beam for 1.2-mile monorail line from Westlake Mall to Seattle World Fair grounds is unloaded on Fifth Avenue near Stewart Street from truck which hauled it from Tacoma plant where it was cast. A vision of the "future" at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. A vision of the "future" at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. Photo: / Seattle Post-Intelligencer A futuristic car at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. A futuristic car at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. Photo: / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Admiring a "space man" at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle.

Admiring a "space man" at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. Photo: / Seattle Post-Intelligencer The monorail at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. The monorail at the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. Photo: / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Image 36 of 84 The Century 21 Exposition, the 1962 World’s Fair, brought a new concept to Seattle – long lines. One of the most popular exhibits was the U.S. Science Pavilion, dedicated to the country’s advances in science and space exploration. After a six-month run, the fair’s 10 millionth visitor passed through the turnstiles Oct. 21, 1962, and the fair closed on the following day. Although many of the temporary exhibits were torn down, the Science Pavilion reopened as the Pacific Science Center. Photo: P-I File Image 40 of 84 A section of the first monorail train to arrive in Seattle sits on the track, still connected by cable to crane which lifted it into position, Feb. 20, 1962.

A section of the first monorail train to arrive in Seattle sits on the track, still connected by cable to crane which lifted it into position, Feb. 20, 1962. Photo: P-I File Image 41 of 84 A 1962 Firestone illustration of the Seattle Monorail showing how the tires ride on the concrete tracks. A 1962 Firestone illustration of the Seattle Monorail showing how the tires ride on the concrete tracks. Photo: P-I File The March 1962 caption read: Monorail opens to public. The March 1962 caption read: Monorail opens to public. Photo: P-I File A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962. Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962. Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962.

Photo: Seattlepi.com File A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. A World's Fair exhibit, Aug. 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File A World's Fair scene, May 1962. A World's Fair scene, May 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File A World's Fair scene, July 1962. A World's Fair scene, July 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962. Wrold's Fair Gayway rides, April 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Construction of the Coliseum, which is now KeyArena. Construction of the Coliseum, which is now KeyArena. Photo: Seattlepi.com File The Seventh Day Adventist exhibit, June 1962. The Seventh Day Adventist exhibit, June 1962.

Photo: Seattlepi.com File A group of interpreters at the Seattle World’s Fair, May 28, 1962. A group of interpreters at the Seattle World’s Fair, May 28, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File The color guard during World's Fair opening ceremonies, April 21, 1962. The color guard during World's Fair opening ceremonies, April 21, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File World’s Fair President Joseph E. Gandy gives trade dollars to kids at the fair. World’s Fair President Joseph E. Gandy gives trade dollars to kids at the fair. Photo: Seattlepi.com File World's Fair preperation, March 1962. World's Fair preperation, March 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 59 of 84 W.E. Difford, left, and John H. Martinson nail the first panel in the World’s Fair show home, March 5, 1962. W.E. Difford, left, and John H.

Martinson nail the first panel in the World’s Fair show home, March 5, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Seattle World's Fair preperation, Feb. 1962. Seattle World's Fair preperation, Feb. 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 61 of 84 Brewer and stadium builder Emil Sick, Century 21 vice president for underwriting D.E. Skinner and Seattle legend Joshua Green in Dec. 1961. Brewer and stadium builder Emil Sick, Century 21 vice president for underwriting D.E. Skinner and Seattle legend Joshua Green in Dec. 1961. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 62 of 84 In this previously unpublished photo from 1960, Senator Warren Magnuson, Representative Ed Stimpson and Undersecretary of Commerce Phillip A. Ray look over plans for the Seattle World’s Fair. In this previously unpublished photo from 1960, Senator Warren Magnuson, Representative Ed Stimpson and Undersecretary of Commerce Phillip A. Ray look over plans for the Seattle World’s Fair. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Construction of the Boulevard of the World, Feb.

21, 1962. Construction of the Boulevard of the World, Feb. 21, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 64 of 84 Civic Leader Eddie Carlson, left, and Ewen Dingwall, Vice-President and Executive Director of the Century 21 Exposition, go over fair revenue projections. Carlson was the first President and Chairman of the Board of the Century 21 Exposition. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 65 of 84 The Feb. 20, 1962 photo shows construction of what became Gracie Hansen’s Paradise International Theater Restaurant. The theater was known for showgirls. The Feb. 20, 1962 photo shows construction of what became Gracie Hansen’s Paradise International Theater Restaurant. The theater was known for showgirls. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Indian dancers at the World’s Fair, Oct. 1962. Indian dancers at the World’s Fair, Oct. 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Japanese dancers at the Seattle World's Fair, July 1962. Japanese dancers at the Seattle World's Fair, July 1962.

Photo: Seattlepi.com File Decorations in what’s now the Seattle Center House. Decorations in what’s now the Seattle Center House. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Scenes from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Scenes from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Scenes from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Scenes from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 71 of 84 Earle Addis,37, was named the 10 millionth visitor at the Seattle World’s Fair on Oct. 21, 1962 – the last day of the exhibition. Next to Addis is his daughter, Jill, 10, and his wife. Daughters Kathryn, 12, and Julie, 9, are in front. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 72 of 84 Dr. Pierre Piganiol, left, and Dr. Pierre Morel on the fairgrounds as the Space Needle was being constructed, 1961. Dr. Pierre Piganiol, left, and Dr.

Pierre Morel on the fairgrounds as the Space Needle was being constructed, 1961. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Fair director Alfred R. Rochester studies a model of the fairgrounds. Fair director Alfred R. Rochester studies a model of the fairgrounds. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 74 of 84 Fair President Joseph Gandy closes the Seattle World’s Fair, Oct. 21, 1962. With his are Sen. Warren G. Magnuson, Mayor Gordon Clinton, Gov. Al Rosellini and Eddie Carlson, chairman of the World’s Fair Commission. Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962. Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962. Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962.

Scenes of last-minute construction of the Seattle World's Fair, early 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 78 of 84 The 1962 photo caption read: The first contingent of 1,600 Royal Canadian Air Cadets to visit the Seattle World’s Fair from their summer camp in Vancouver, B.C. arrived today. Two cadets, Tony Pederson of Sidney, B.C. and Bob Newstrom of Oliver B.C. meet the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations’ space man, Bob Koch, of Seattle. The Galaxy sculpture at what's now KeyArena, April 21, 1962. The Galaxy sculpture at what's now KeyArena, April 21, 1962. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Glass brick at the fair’s Swedish exhibit. Glass brick at the fair’s Swedish exhibit. Photo: Seattlepi.com File Spia is played at the Philippine Pavilion, June 1962. Spia is played at the Philippine Pavilion, June 1962.

Photo: Seattlepi.com File Image 82 of 84 Crowds at the south gate of the Seattle World’s Fair in an undated, previously unpublished P-I photo. Crowds at the south gate of the Seattle World’s Fair in an undated, previously unpublished P-I photo. Photo: Seattlepi.com File A rocket model at the World’s Fair NASA exhibit. A rocket model at the World’s Fair NASA exhibit. Photo: Seattlepi.com File 1000+ images about World's Fair 1962 - Seattle, WA on Pinterest | The pacific, Food stands and Science centers Forward Get 15% off with code: Pin15 TITLE: Space Needle at Night - Panoramic Print Located in Seattle, Washington, the Space Needle was built as part of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair and remains the most iconic landmark in the Pacific Northwest. Space Needle at Night is a Panoramic Print giving a view from the ground up. It shares a very unique and futuristic view of the landmark.

See More Space Needle (Seattle) - HistoryLink.org HistoryLink.org Tweet The Space Needle, a modernistic totem of the Seattle World's Fair, was conceived by Eddie Carlson (1911-1990) as a doodle in 1959 and given form by architects John Graham Jr. (1908-1991), Victor Steinbrueck (1911-1985), and John Ridley. When King County declined to fund the project, five private investors, Bagley Wright (1924-2011), Ned Skinner (1920-1988), Norton Clapp (1906-1995), John Graham Jr., and Howard S. Wright, took over and built the 605-foot tower in less than a year. The Needle opened shortly before the Century 21 Exposition on March 24, 1962. Owners added a second restaurant-reception room at the 100-foot level in 1982. It was designated as an official historic landmark on April 19, 1999.

The concept for the Space Needle was born in Stuttgart, Germany, when in 1959 Seattle World’s Fair Commission chair Edward E. “Eddie” Carlson dined in a restaurant atop that city’s broadcast tower. Convinced that the World’s Fair needed a similar “restaurant in the sky” as an attraction and symbol, Carlson sketched his idea on postcards to Fair officials, including Ewen Dingwall, Joseph Gandy, and James Douglas. Douglas suggested that Carlson engage the services of architect John Graham Jr., who had recently completed a revolving restaurant in Honolulu. From Doodle to Reality Graham was excited by the challenge, and assembled a large team of associates including Art Edwards, Manson Bennett, Erle Duff, Al Miller, Nate Wilkinson, Victor Steinbrueck, and John Ridley. In working to translate Carlson’s doodle into blueprints, they explored a variety of ideas ranging from a single saucer-capped spire to a structure resembling a tethered balloon. Steinbrueck hit on a wasp-waisted tripod for the Space Needle’s legs and Ridley perfected the double-decked “top house” crown. Fair promoters tried to interest King County in funding the Needle’s construction, but the County declined.

Five major Northwest business leaders -- Bagley Wright, Ned Skinner, Norton Clapp, John Graham Jr., and Howard S. Wright -- then formed the Pentagram Corporation to take over the project. Wright Construction was named contractor and Eddie Carlson committed Western Hotels, of which he was then vice president, to run the facility and its main revolving restaurant. The developers purchased the site of an obsolete Fire Department alarm center for $75,000 (the Needle and the 14,400-square-foot plot of land it rises from remain in private ownership). Erected in Record Time Construction began on April 17, 1961. Laying the foundation entailed the largest continuous concrete pour yet attempted on the West Coast -- 5,850 tons delivered by 467 trucks over 12 hours. The steel tower itself weighs 3,700 tons and its legs are anchored to the earth by 74 32-foot-long bolts. Eight hundred thirty-two steps lead from the base to the top house, but most people prefer to take one of the three elevators.

Workers topped off the structure on December 8, 1961, and the restaurant hosted a special gala on March 24, 1962, a little less than a month before the Fair opened. Total development and construction cost $4.5 million. The Space Needle’s scale and novel shape were originally accented with a garish paint scheme, including “Orbital Olive,” “Re-entry Red,” and “Galaxy Gold.” During the Fair, the tower’s base housed an exhibit devoted to “Dentistry Through the Ages of Man,” and the top house peak blazed at night with a giant natural gas torch. The original restaurant was dubbed “The Eye of the Needle.” Its dining floor to this day (1999) completes a full revolution every 58 minutes, powered by a 1.5 h.p. electric motor. Movies, Stunts, and a Streaker Initially, this polychrome pylon had its critics, but Seattle -- and the world -- quickly adopted it as the city’s unofficial symbol.

Besides gracing countless snapshots and home videos, the Needle has been featured in three major commercial motion pictures: It Happened at the World’s Fair, (1964) with Elvis Presley; The Parallax View, (1974) with Warren Beatty; and Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me, (1999) with Mike Myers. Seattle’s village lingam has provided a prop for numerous stunts, including high wire acts and parachute jumps. Students from Tolt High School chewed $150 worth of gum to create a chain of 14,986 wrappers, which they dangled from the Needle on November 20, 1965. Artist-historian Paul Dorpat suspended a 250-foot “Universal Worm” from the tower in October 1971, and artist Alan Lande lit it up as a flying saucer for a science fiction festival in 1978. On June 14, 1974, at the height of the “streaking” craze, a naked man dangled from a small plane as it circled the Space Needle’s restaurant level.

The Needle withstood without damage the Columbus Day windstorm of 1962 and the 1965 earthquake. Except for three suicides who leapt to their deaths from the Needle’s Observation Level, to date (1999) no worker or visitor has been killed or seriously injured in the tower. An Official Landmark At Last During the World’s Fair, the Needle attracted 2.3 million visitors and diners, but in the 1970s attendance began to wane. In 1978, the Needle’s owners proposed to add a new restaurant and banquet facility at the tower’s 100-foot level, to serve the throngs expected for Seattle Center’s display of King Tut treasures. Victor Steinbrueck led a spirited public opposition, but the Seattle City Council ultimately approved the addition, which opened four years late on May 19, 1982, as “The Wheedle in the Needle.” On April 15, 1998, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board approved the designation of the Space Needle as a "historic landmark." The designation was made official on April 19, 1999, by the Seattle City Council.

It was the first structure approved on the basis of all six designation criteria, ranging from architectural merit to historical and physical prominence. Thus, this symbol of “Century 21” greeted the real twenty-first century as a monument to the past -- and as an artifact of a future that didn’t turn out quite as planned. Life magazine, February 9, 1962 Eddie Carlson's doodle of the plan for the Space Needle (redrawn in 1987) Courtesy Eddie Carlson 15 Amazing Structures Originally Built for World's Fairs - Photos - Condé Nast Traveler 15 Amazing Structures Originally Built for World's Fairs Subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler 15 Amazing Structures Originally Built for World's Fairs Some of the world’s most enduring landmarks (perhaps you’ve heard of the Eiffel Tower?) were originally constructed for a World's Fair. We look back at 15 of our favorites. Crystal Palace, London Built by Sir Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition in 185, the Crystal Palace marked the greatest span of glass on a building at that time. The building was later destroyed by a fire.

Eiffel Tower, Paris One of the most famous landmarks in the world was, at the time of its construction for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, also the tallest building on earth, at 1,063 feet high. Before its opening, plans for the structure were met with scorn. Notable artists, including Guy de Maupassant and Paris Opera architect Charles Garnier even signed a letter in Le Temps that called it a "dizzyingly ridiculous tower dominating Paris." Still, Gustave Eiffel, an engineer by trade, persevered, and on the day of its opening he climbed the 1,710 stairs himself to unfurl the French flag at the summit. The Křižíkova Fountain, Prague Designed by and named after Czech engineer František Křižík, the electrically illuminated Křižíkova Fountain was the centerpiece of the 1891 General Land Centennial Exhibition held in Prague, which was then part of Austria-Hungary. Today, the Fountain is equal parts attraction and stage.

As the backdrop for a 6,000-person amphitheater, it hosts dance performances, classical concerts, and other events. The Palace of Fine Arts, Chicago Many cities repurposed their World's Fair buildings into museums, including San Francisco (the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre), Saint Louis (the Saint Louis Art Museum), and Philadelphia (the Please Touch Museum). Chicago's Greek-inspired Palace of Fine Arts, one of the few remaining buildings from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, has housed two museums: The Field Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Science and Industry, which has been there since it opened in 1933. The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, Barcelona More than 3,000 water jets and 4,000 lights create a practically infinite number of displays in the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. Architect Carles Buïgas, who'd previously worked with illuminated fountains, came up with the idea to add dancing water to the colorful display; more than 3,000 workers were commissioned to the creation before the opening of the Great Universal Exhibition in 1929.

In the ’80s, music was added to the show, which you can still watch on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in the summer, and Friday and Saturday nights from October to April. Golden Gate Bridge, San Fransisco Treasure Island, sitting underneath the Bay Bridge, was built to celebrate the opening of the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, which coincided with the 1939 World Fair. The Atomium, Brussels Inspired by the dawn of the Atomic Age, engineer André Waterkeyn designed a structure for Expo ’58 based on an iron molecule enlarged 165 billion times: the Atomium. Each of the nine interconnected spheres is about 60 feet in diameter, and the highest rises to more than 300 feet. Today, the Atomium still houses an exhibition dedicated to the expo, in addition to other rotating installations and a restaurant with panoramic views on the eighth level. The Space Needle, Seattle The blueprints for the 605-foot-tall Space Needle were so precisely planned that, when it opened, the rotating restaurant could revolve using only a one-horsepower motor.

Since the 1962 World’s Fair, the technology has been refined so that the SkyCity restaurant needs only a 1 ½-horsepower motor to turn in a circle. The tower also boasts an observation deck and events space, with shops down below. The Unisphere, New York City Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York City has hosted two World’s Fairs: one in 1939 and one in 1964. And those fairs boasted many impressive landmarks, including the 610-foot-tall Trylon spire and the “UFOs” of the New York State Pavilion. But the Unisphere is one of the most well-known—and longest-lasting. Designed by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke, the steel sphere was, at the time, the largest globe ever constructed, rising 140 feet and weighing 900,000 pounds (including its base). Today, it’s still an icon of the city; try spotting it from your plane when landing at LaGuardia. Biosphere, Montreal Built by R.

Buckminster Fuller for the 1967 World Fair, the Biosphere is located at Parc Jean-Drapeau, on Saint Helen's Island. Since 2007, the building has been an environmental museum, focusing on water, climate change, and sustainability. The Sunsphere, Knoxville Like a giant disco ball in the sky, the 266-foot-tall Sunsphere beckoned visitors to the World's Fair in 1982. It was constructed out of 360 panes of glass (about 14,000 square feet of glass overall—much less than London’s Crystal Palace a century earlier) and laminated with a gold-dust-filled vinyl, which gave the sphere its color. Today, the Sunsphere is a place for one of the cheapest dates in Knoxville—there's no charge to take the elevator to the observation deck. And, if the date goes well, the Sunsphere can also be rented out as a location for weddings. Canada Place, Vancouver Looking like a cross between a sailboat and the Sydney Opera House, Canada Place serves many purposes.

Not only was it the home of the Canada Pavilion during the Expo '86, it’s also now a convention center, a hotel, an office building, a cruise-ship terminal, a retail center, and a promenade (and its "sails" light up at night). Last year, the site hosted a festival for Canada Day that featured 30 bands on three stages. Hanbit-Tap (Tower of Grand Light), South Korea Standing more than 300 feet tall, South Korea's Hanbit Tower was designed to recall Cheomseongdae, an ancient Korean astronomical observatory, though what surrounds it is decidedly more modern. The site of the fair still operates as the Expo Science Park, which houses an IMAX dome theater, simulation rides, and a an electric energy pavilion. The observation deck in the Hanbit Tower gives a bird's-eye-view of all the park's attractions. The Millennium Dome, London Located right on the prime meridian and in the home of Greenwich Mean Time, London's Millennium Dome fittingly resembles a clock, with 12 yellow masts sticking up out of a gleaming white "face".

(Project director Mike Davies was into astronomy, so the number 12 also references the months of the year and constellations in the zodiac.) Architects at the Richard Rogers Partnership took a beating in the press when it opened as part of the nationwide Millennium Festival, partially because of political posturing surrounding the project, but residents today still visit the Millennium Dome—rebranded the O2 Arena—to see concerts. It also hosted basketball and gymnastic events during the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. The China Art Palace, Shanghai Like other World's Fair structures, the iconic China pavilion of the 2010 Expo has taken on a second life as an art museum—a really, really big one. The China Art Palace has more than 160,000 square meters of exhibition space covering five floors. One of the Expo highlights, "Along the River During Qingming Festival," a digitally animated rendering of an ancient scroll, is still on exhibit within. Clear Fun Facts - Space Needle Fun Facts SEATTLE TRIVIA, ABOVE ALL TRIVIA. The Structure The Space Needle’s top, an aircraft warning beacon, reaches 605 feet. The Observation Deck is at 520 feet.

The SkyCity Restaurant revolves at 500 feet. The SkyLine Banquet Facility hosts events at 100 feet. The Pavilion entrance and SpaceBase Retail Shop are at the ground level. Space Needle’s concrete foundation goes 30 feet underground. To balance its 605 foot structure, the Space Needle’s concrete foundation had to be 30 feet deep because its base was limited to a 120 by 120 foot area, due to size constraints of the lot it was purchased on. The 120′ x 120′ lot the Space Needle was built on was formerly owned by the city of Seattle, then sold to investors for $75,000 in 1961. Purchased in 1961, the Space Needle was given a record-breaking goal of being built in a little over a year, to be featured at the opening of the World’s Fair. When construction was successfully finished in 400 days, US Steel dubbed the Space Needle “The 400 Day Wonder.” There are 848 steps from the bottom of the basement to the top of the Observation Deck.

During the construction of the Space Needle, it took 467 cement trucks less than 12 hours to fill the foundation hole (30 feet deep and 120 feet across). This was the largest continuous concrete pour ever attempted in the West. When the Space Needle was built in 1962, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The foundation weighs 5,850 tons and there are 250 tons of reinforcing steel alone (i.e., rebar) in the foundation. The Needle structure weighs 3,700 tons. The center of gravity for the Space Needle is 5 feet above the ground. The Space Needle is fastened to its foundation with 72 bolts, each 30 feet in length. The Space Needle sways approximately 1 inch for every 10 mph of wind. It was built to withstand a wind velocity of 200 miles per hour, doubling the 1962 building code requirements. When winds around the Needle reach high speeds, 35 mph or higher, the elevators are designed to reduce their traveling speed to 5 mph for safety reasons.

During the 1993 Inaugural Day storm, wind gusts reached 90 mph and the top house was closed for an hour and a half. On a hot day the Space Needle expands about one inch. 25 lightning rods (24 actual rods, plus the tower) are on the roof of the Needle to withstand lightning strikes. The diameter of the halo is 138 feet. The diameter of the SkyCity Restaurant is 94.5 feet. The Space Needle had the second revolving restaurant in the world. The first one was in the Ala Moana shopping mall in Hawaii. There are now hundreds of turntable structures throughout the world. The entire Space Needle saucer does not rotate, only a 14-foot ring next to the windows rotates on the SkyCity restaurant level. The restaurant turntable revolves on a track and wheel system that weighs roughly 125 tons, borrowed from railroad technology. All it takes to make the turntable revolve is a 1½ horsepower motor (originally it was a 1 hp motor). The SkyLine level, at 100 feet, was built in 1982.

The original nickname of the Space Needle was “The Space Cage.” The original name of the restaurant was “Eye of the Needle.” From the time of its construction, the Space Needle has always had a light atop the structure. The most recent version is the Legacy Light, first illuminated on New Year’s Eve 1999/2000. The Space Needle was built in 1962 for a mere $4.5 million dollars. In 2000, the Space Needle completed a $20 million revitalization. The project included construction of the Pavilion Level, SpaceBase retail store, SkyCity restaurant, Deck overhaul, exterior lighting additions, installation of the Legacy Light, exterior painting and more. On April 21, 1999, the Space Needle’s 37th birthday, the City’s Landmarks Preservation Board named it an official City of Seattle Landmark. In its Report on Designation, the Landmarks Preservation Board wrote, “The Space Needle marks a point in history of the City of Seattle and represents American aspirations towards technological prowess.

[It] embodies in its form and construction the era’s belief in commerce, technology and progress.” The Elevators The Space Needle elevators weigh 14,000 pounds each with a capacity of 4,500 pounds. The counter-weight weighs 40 percent more than the elevator fully loaded. Each elevator carries 25 people. Each elevator has seven cables total, even though one cable is strong enough to hold the entire weight of the elevator. Space Needle elevators are equipped with a governor brake that would lock the elevator on the tracks in case all seven cables broke. Two of the Space Needle elevators are high speed and can travel at a rate of 10 mph, or 800 feet per minute. Actual travel time from the ground level to the top-house is 43 seconds. Under high wind conditions these high-speed passenger elevators are slowed to 5 mph. The third elevator, primarily used for freight but occasionally used to carry passengers, only travels at 5 mph, or 400 feet per minute. The elevators that travel 10 mph are equal to the speed in which a raindrop falls to earth.

In fact, a snowflake falls at 3 mph, so in an elevator during a snowstorm, it appears to be snowing upwards. The last elevator arrived the day before the 1962 World’s Fair opened. The People The five principals who organized the “Pentagram Corporation” to build the Space Needle were financier Bagley Wright, contractor Howard S. Wright, architect John Graham, financier Ned Skinner, and timber magnate Norton Clapp. In 1977 Bagley Wright, Skinner and Clapp sold their interests to Howard S. Wright. The Pentagram Corporation has since become the Space Needle LLC. Architect John Graham, of John Graham and Co., produced the final saucer design of the Needle. John was the designer of the nation’s first shopping mall, Seattle’s Northgate Mall. Credit for the architecture and design also goes to John’s partner Victor Steinbrueck, UW engineering professor Al Miller, artist Earle Duff, designer John Ridley, and design partner Nate Wilkinson. The first Space Needle Manager, Hoge Sullivan, had acrophobia, a fear of heights.

In 1966 11-year-old Bill Gates, Co-Chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft co-founder and former chairman, won a dinner at the Space Needle restaurant offered by his pastor. Gates had to memorize chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew, better known as the Sermon on the Mount, and he recited the sermon flawlessly. Many celebrities have visited the Space Needle; they include Kelsey Grammer and all the cast of Cheers, Elvis Presley, Mike Myers, Demi Moore, Melanie Griffith, John Travolta, Vanna White, Michael Douglas, Tim Robbins, Claudia Schiffer, Scott Bakula, Paul Reiser, Bruce Lee, numerous professional athletes, several world-famous musicians and numerous world leaders and dignitaries. The Needle hosted the first challenge of Season 10 for the popular TV Show, Top Chef. In this season opener, celebrity judges Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, and Gail Simmons were featured at the Needle. Tom Douglas also served as the local judge.

Renowned astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, was on hand to present the winner of the Space Race celebrating the Space Needle’s 50th Anniversary with the grand prize – a sub-orbital trip into space. Local celebrity rapper, Macklemore, brought the Heist flag to his hometown Seattle in his popular song, Can’t Hold Us. The concept of the song’s video shows the flag carried across six different continents before ending up perfectly atop the Space Needle. During the World’s Fair, nearly 20,000 people a day went up in the elevators. The 20,000 mark was never quite attained, however, missing by fewer than 50 one day. The Space Needle hosted over 2.3 million visitors during the Fair. The Space Needle annually hosts more than 1 million visitors, making it the #1 tourist attraction in the Northwest. The Unexpected Plans to build a stork’s nest atop the Needle were canceled when it was learned that storks could not live in Seattle’s climate and would migrate to warmer climates. The city of Fife, Washington, offered $1 million to move the Space Needle to its downtown.

The Committee Hoping for Extra-Terrestrial Encounters to Save the Earth (CHEESE) claims to have plans from the 1962 World’s Fair that show the Space Needle was constructed to send transmissions to advanced beings in other solar systems. During the fair, private planes that flew near the Needle were reported to the authorities only if they were so close their wing numbers could be read. There have been six parachute jumps from the Needle; two were unauthorized and the other four were part of a promotion. As an April Fool’s joke a local television station aired a phony report that the Space Needle had fallen over. Emergency phone lines were swamped with calls. The Space Needle received more than 700 calls, even though there was a flashing alert during the entire report telling the audience that it was a joke. One Spokane man even jumped in his car and began driving to Seattle because his daughter worked at the Space Needle. On July 11, 2013, Seattle grunge legends, Mudhoney, rocked out on top of the Needle to celebrate Sub Pop’s 25th anniversary. The Space Needle moved 312 feet SW in June 1987. The move was only on paper, however.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began a 10-year project of re-mapping the earth by satellite. Major structures, such as the Space Needle, were used as landmarks. The Best Executive Chef Jeff Maxfield being selected by the prestigious James Beard Foundation to feature his six-course Pacific Northwest inspired dinner at the James Beard House in October, 2013. SkyCity Restaurant was named the 2009 Restaurant of the Year by the Washington Wine Commission. AOL Cityguide named SkyCity restaurant the “Best Restaurant with a View” in 2006 and 2007. SkyCity Restaurant was named “Best View” by Where Magazine’s Visitors Choice Dining Awards. The Space Needle was named the “Best Place to Get Engaged” by the Seattle Weekly. The Space Needle’s SpaceBase gift shop was voted one of the best places to shop for Northwest souvenirs by Seattle Magazine. The readers of Seattle Magazine voted the Space Needle as the “Best Place to Have a Party” for their 2004 “The Best” issue.

The Fun Since its inception in 1982, the Space Needle’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration has grown to be the West Coast’s premier New Year’s Eve event. In May 1996, the Space Needle welcomed the Olympic Torch Relay with a special fireworks show as it passed through Seattle on its way to Atlanta for the Summer Games. The Space Needle has saluted the success of Seattle’s sports teams over the years by painting the white roof with logos and congratulatory messages. These paintings have included the logos of the University of Washington Huskies football team, the Seattle Mariners, and the Seattle Supersonics. In 1995, the Needle caught baseball fever and placed an oversized inflatable baseball on the halo surrounding the Observation Deck to celebrate the Mariners first-ever playoff appearance. In 1988 Tim Firnstahl and Mick McHugh divided up their $16 million Seattle restaurant empire with a coin toss from the Space Needle. The Space Needle is approximately 1,320 Milky Way candy bars (605 feet) tall. During the Miss USA Pageant, Miss Washington, Stina McLynne, wore a Space Needle-shaped hat during the costume portion of the pageant.

There were more than 200 copyrights for souvenir items during the World’s Fair of which many have become collectibles. One of the best sellers during the fair was a Needle-shaped gold charm with a light in it, selling for about $75 in 1962. Another was a 9-inch high chrome lighter in the shape of the Needle. In Maria Semple’s New York Times best seller, Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, the heroine takes her daughter to the Space Needle for her birthday. At SkyCity Restaurant, the mom places her daughter’s birthday card on the window ledge to rotate around the restaurant with the revolving view. As the card makes its rounds, people at other tables sign it with wishes and congratulations until it circles back to her daughter. Popular Seattle Landmarks Quiz - By TheAuthor Info A Seattle icon Built for the 1962 Worlds Fair in Seattle! Depite common thought, it is not the tallesr structure in Seattle. Under the bridge Did you know it is eating a VW? Weird science!

Built for the 1962 Worlds Fair Site of a worlds fair in 1962 The Space Needle is located here Tallest building in Seattle It is the 2nd tallest building on the west coast. Seattle's 1st skyscraper Tallest west of the Mississippi from 1914 to 1931 Largest open air market in the U.S. Home to the 1st Starbucks store. It spins on pier 57 It reaches 175 feet up! Boeing Site of the original Boeing plant Home of the Seahawks It replaced the Kingdome along with its neighbor, home to the Mariners. Helpful Hints It replaced the Kingdom along with its neighbor, home to the Seahawks The elephant Did you know it is photographed more than any other Seattle landmark? Music and popular culture collection It looks like a smashed guitar from above Underneath Seattle The new Seattle was built over the old one after a fire destroyed much of the city A truck that can float The tours last about and hour and a half and take you through Seattle. Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh my! It is home to 35 endangered species Gasification plant The last remaining coal gasification plant in the U.S.

Best 'sushi' in town...if you like the live ones It is located right off pier 59 Portraits and sculptures The Lasting Impact of Seattle's World's Fair Architects | Seattle Magazine The Lasting Impact of Seattle's World's Fair Architects Design at the 1962 World's Fair brought its architects acclaim well beyond the Seattle Center ground BY: Most Seattleites walk or drive past the Space Needle and the other major buildings at Seattle Center without giving much thought to who designed them. But these structures, including KeyArena and the Pacific Science Center, are the lasting architectural legacy of the Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World’s Fair. In 1962, some of the Northwest’s most important architects—Paul Thiry, Paul Kirk, John Graham Jr. and others—came together, along with University of Washington alum Minoru Yamasaki, to present what Thiry called “a world within a world.” With the exception of architecture groupies and history geeks, however, most Seattleites know very little about the people who made the World’s Fair spaces, what they were hoping to achieve and the other structures they went on to design.

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair , we shine the spotlight on its space-age architectural legacy. CITY SHAPER Victor Steinbrueck Of all the contributors to World’s Fair architecture, Victor Steinbrueck probably has the most name recognition, if only because a park next to Pike Place Market bears his name. But Steinbrueck made a crucial contribution to something most of us see every day: the Space Needle’s arced legs. The design for the Needle started out like a Tootsie Pop, a quick sketch doodled by Seattle hotelier Eddie Carlson, the chair of the commission planning the fair, who thought the event needed an over-the-top symbol to match the grandiose “Century 21” name and its “man in space” theme. Engineers, however, worried that a ball on a stick would topple over in an earthquake.

A 1935 graduate of the UW’s architecture program, Steinbrueck solved the stability problem with three columns pinched about halfway up, a shape local historian Walt Crowley labeled “wasp-waisted.” But Steinbrueck didn’t earn his place in Seattle’s pantheon until almost a decade later, when he fought to preserve Pike Place Market from demolition. In many ways, it was Steinbrueck who begat the Seattle icons recognizable to people from outside city: the charming, European-style Market and the graceful upward sweep of the Space Needle. Space Needle designer John Graham Jr. also designed the towers of the Washington Plaza (now Westin) Hotel. The first went up in 1969, the second in 1982. Credit: UW Libraries, Special Collections, MPH222 TOWERS OF POWER John Graham Jr. Seattle residential architect John Ridley had a hand in the Space Needle’s final look (primarily the “double decker” effect of the crown), but top billing for the Space Needle design goes to local architect John Graham Jr., who was also the first American to design and patent a rotating restaurant. (He filed U.S.

patent number 3125189 in 1961—using drawings for the Space Needle’s Eye of the Needle restaurant to illustrate the design—and was awarded the patent in 1964.) This wasn’t his first revolving restaurant. Graham had previously built one—the first in America—atop the Ala Moana shopping center in Honolulu. After the success of the Space Needle, Graham’s buildings tended to soar skyward, including several high-rises now integral to downtown Seattle. His firm designed the funky “hair curler” tower for 1969’s Washington Plaza Hotel (now the Westin Hotel), adding its twin tower in 1982; the 37-story Henry M. Jackson Federal Building (1974); the Bank of California Building (1974); and the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers (1982). Graham is also remembered (for better or worse) for inventing the suburban shopping mall. He designed Northgate—which opened in 1950 and is notable for being the first American shopping center called a “mall”—as two long rows of stores with entrances facing each other, connected by a covered pedestrian walkway.

The World’s Fair’s principal architect, Paul Thiry, incorporated the inward focus of Graham’s shopping mall concept when designing the grounds. Paul Thiry's penchant for remarkable roofs is evident in the Colieum, 1962, and other local icons such as the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 1961 (below right). Credit: MOHAI, 1986.5.8131 (top); Daniel Spils (right) THE MODERN MAN Paul Thiry Paul Thiry’s vision for the fair drew from more than 30 years of experience. A 1928 graduate of the University of Washington, Thiry visited the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and was inspired by the new architectural ideas he saw there (primarily: form should follow function). In 1934, he traveled extensively in Japan and Europe, where he met globally influential architects Antonin Raymond and Le Corbusier. He merged ideas from abroad with what he had seen in Chicago and started building homes in the “International style,” which emphasized simple, cube-like forms, a lack of ornamentation, flat roofs and long banks of windows.

Thiry’s embrace of this style in the late 1930s—well before midcentury modern became all the rage—earned him his colloquial title as the “father of Northwest modernism.” But the World’s Fair planners likely hired Thiry for his experience designing campuses; he had managed projects at the UW, Washington State University, and the Capitol campus in Olympia. He had also designed museums and public buildings: the Frye Art Museum and the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle (both of which have been heavily remodeled since), and the Washington State Library on the Capitol campus. Many of the futuristic-looking buildings Thiry designed for the fair were destroyed immediately afterward, including the egg-shaped Nalley’s Fine Food Pavilion and the golf-ball-roofed Ford Motor Company Pavilion. The architect seems to have had a thing for unusual roofs, which can still be seen today in local buildings such as the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (1962) in the Montlake neighborhood, the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church (1961) and the Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis & Clark College in Portland (1972).

One of Thiry’s early World’s Fair ideas, in fact, was to suspend a roof over all 74 acres of the grounds. But his most famous roof was also one of his most controversial—the Washington State Coliseum (now remodeled and known as KeyArena), which he designed as a centerpiece of the World’s Fair. His use of huge concrete buttresses upholding a roof with no interior supports were extremely radical for the day. A critic at the time, James T. Burns Jr., called it “quite disturbing—even annoying,” although he said the coliseum’s interior was “breathtaking.” Thiry’s love of soaring concrete was also evident in a Normandy Park house he built in 1962. The home featured enormous cantilevered concrete supports suspending it out over Puget Sound, and gained media attention in 2010 when it was put up for sale for $1 (the buyer would’ve had to pay to move it elsewhere). With no takers, it was torn down.

Paul Hayden Kirk's love o clean lines is seen in his Playhoue, 1962 (now Intiman Theatre), and University Unitarian Chruch, 1959 (below right) Credit: UW Libraries, Special Collections, SEA0429 & DM2599 LINEAR THINKER Paul Hayden Kirk Also integral to the World’s Fair team was Paul Hayden Kirk—a UW architecture grad and master of regional modernism—who, in the 1950s, earned national press for designing many impressive local homes in the International style. For the World’s Fair, Kirk conceived the Playhouse (now Intiman Theatre) and the sawtooth-roofed Fine Arts Pavilion (which now houses Exhibition Hall downstairs, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet offices and studios upstairs). Kirk’s penchant for long rows of bold parallel lines can be seen in his other local work from the same time period, including the University Unitarian Church in the U District (1959) and Seattle Public Library’s Magnolia branch (1964).

Question: What landmark was built for the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle?
Answer: The Space Needle