Washington Mutual Tower
Seattle, USA

HEIGHT: 235m/771 feet
FLOORS: 55 floors
COMPLETION: 1988
ARCHITECT: Kohn Pedersen Fox Assoc.

It's not the tallest building in the Emerald City, but because of its location, height, and the way it plays with light the Washington Mutual Tower is certainly one of the most visible. It is an integral part of Seattle's skyline, and is easily recognizable from most parts of the city. Its unique shape and knobby top have earned it the nickname "the spark plug." But better than the view of the tower is the view from the tower. When the sky is clear, you can see the Olympic mountains, the Cascade mountains, and Mount Rainier. The tower has 26 elevators which move at speeds up to 1,400 feet per minute.

http://www.officespace.com/osoweb/Seattle/BLDG/WaMutualTower/Building.jpg

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~jj8k-nkmc/se-015.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rotpics02/wamu01.jpeg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rotpics02/wamu02.jpeg

http://www.openmondays.com/images/construction/Block5/B50588-104.jpg

9/10

Wow. I can't wait to go to Seattle.

these are supposed to be on a scale of 1/10...etc

not 15/10

anyways, I give it a 9/10

Who cares????It isn't a big deal.

Simply beautiful! 10/10

I'm in love with her! :nuts:

10/10

8/10

Nice use of glass. Looks pretty smart as well.

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<td align=left valign=center> <smallfont> <b>Quote</B> <I>originally posted by TmanNYC </i></b> </smallfont> </td>
<tr><td align=left valign=top>Who cares????It isn't a big deal.</td></tr>
</table>

All threads MUST follow the format. Please read the sticky thread in the open forum for clarification.

Since this is your first time I have corrected the poll options for you.

Thank you. sorry about that

9.5 From Elliott Bay it is the most impressive tower. It sticks out like no other from that view. beautiful.

the facade looks good, and so does the setbacks, but not so much on the pyramid on the top..

overall it looks cool 8/10

http://www.equityoffice.com/images/WASHMUTL_251.jpg

http://www.skyscrapers.com/files/transfer/6/2002/11/169139.jpg

8.5/10 - It has fairly good height, with good contrast between stone and glass, and the gentle curves in the curtain wall in the center of each side, along with the set backs near the top, save it from boxiness. I also like the detailing in the stone, and the "X" patterns running up and across the center of each side, in between the wider stone mullions and spandrels, which make the building livlier and more satisfying to look at. All in all, the tower is a good example of unity without monotony and variety without chaos.

Probably the weakest feature, IMO, is the crown. While I'm glad it isn't flat, and that it actually uses setbacks, the pyramid and cube don't really seem to fit the rest of the structure - it and the pediments probably should have been the same color as the stone in the facade. And while I realize that the pediments are intended to echo the curves in the center of the facade, they seem to be a bit out of place against the rest of the building, which has no other vertical curves. The crown might have looked better if it were a series of setbacks rising up to the pyramid, and the pyramid had a small spire instead of the cube on top...

It's interesting...I like it

7/10

I like the use of glass......it's not a completely original design and like RafflesCity said, it's not the tallest building around, but it's just so damn pretty I think I'll give it a:

7.5/10.

7/10..I don't like the colors and the top. It looks like stairs leading up to the roof at the top. Too much detail on the windows also.

Nice! 8/10

Yeah very nice.I really like the elegant way of this tower.
8.5/10

Stunning complex. Can honestly say Top 5 in the world. 10/10

10 This building is simply perfect.

9/10

I like elegance once in a while. They actually put thought and effort into this building instead of slapping on a glass curtain wall. I haven't seen a builing like it.

The WMT is the definition of the word "Gorgeous"!!!..9/10

Another one of my faves anywhere in the world. Those "studs" that punctuate the corners of the windows make it remind me of a chest/trunk. I think the pyramid roof should be a little bigger. 9/10.

Stunning blue glass with brownish facade! Looks shiny in good light! I like! :D

8.5/10

http://www.cyburbia.org/gallery/data/6108/1376seam.jpg
Pic I took.

not the best in seattle but a cool one. and a kpf work. 8.0/10

8.5/10. This is the style of scrapers I find more pleasant to the eye...its simple, modern, yet shows hints of heritage that lends it a air of pretigue. A good one. :)

9/10

10

the pyramid top is stupid, but the rest of the building is nice. so female... somewhere It's somewhat tacky, but It's right on the good side of the edge..

a shiny 7.5

sweet blue glass with a very nice finish 9/10

average post modern try 6/10

facade: the sides of the lower part should be like those on the top, here again the half point missing
form: great!
points: 9,5

9.5/10

Classic.... nothing else

7/10

9.5/10
Excellent tower; the attention to detail is amazing. The patterns of glass are superb, which make this is a classic without a doubt. :)

Insipid and crude....yuck !

1/10

7.5/10 ! :)

I like this building, so elegant, make Seattle skyline looks amazing 9/10

10/10


No words.

Looking up
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/583/341washigtonmutual.jpg

nice building exept for it's round top. maybe a triangle will be better

7.5/10

i'd like it better if the building's white, but everything else about it is awesome.

i remember seeing a building in taiwan that copied its design exactly except that it's shorter, the glass is green, and the facade is white. but i didn't get a pic of it because it was too far away.

9/10

10/10 Its like, the more I look at it, the more tiny details I notice. I like the emotional value of the blue color, especailly with the contrating white color.

8/10

8.5

Beautiful & elegant. Agree that the top could use some work- at least get rid of the little cube. The building is complex enough w/out the wacky roof.

The Perfect building :10/10!!!

Nice solid building with classic & modern lines. 9

Its beautiful, great use of materials and it has great style 10/10

Good colours, good proportions, nice crown.

8.5

This crown jewel of architecture sucks. 3.0

I like Seattle's towers, this one too. 9.0

I've always loved this one because it's one of the most interesting, classiest and elegant skyscraper I have ever seen and is the perfect height and nothing about it looks cheap. It sure is a real gem!! 10/10

we all know winus is just jealous b/c it's not in his town. Okay, j/k. But I still think it deserves a 10.

6/10

Dainty looking. 7.5/10

8/10. I like the design of it.

This building never wowed me.....it looks like an electrical outlet......
6.5/10

Crown jewel of America? WT, It's a nice building, but the Crown jewel, that is completly ridiculous. Seattle as a city a one of the most beautiful, but that building is simply put, a nice skyscraper but not so rare building.

9/10 surprizing

Really beautiful, 8/10

it aint the best thing on earth, but still cool, 9/10

Very beautiful!!! 9/10.

8.5 good one

F***ing fantastic!! The second best building in Seattle, hands down. I give it a 9/10. :D

10/10, a spot reserved for this, the Burj Al Arab and the Chrysler Building. Simply beautiful.

an awesome tower! LOVE IT!
9.5/10

7.5/10

It's a masterpiece of american Post-Modernism.I like the lower part of the building,with a circular facade,but the top is too strange.

8
How about a spire on top :P

Great tower. 8.5/10.

Beautiful design 9/10

8/10

Amazing. 9.5.

One of the best post-moderist towers. But I'm not a fan of post-modernism ;) 7,5/10

7/10

8/10

A bit too fat but the design is ok, 8/10

9/10

This is a great tower. It is a beautiful building that fits its surrounding like a glove. Its around 750 ft that maket just tall enough to be great. I give it a 9

beautiful 9.5/10

5/10

7,5/10

8/10

Looks pretty
8/10

another favorite...10/10

Not my cup of tea. 7/10

very nice 9/10

7/10

quite beautiful.8/10

A nice building with pleasing shapes. The crown could have been a little bit more worked out and the overall design could be just a little bit more elaborated.
It fails (by not much) to be a very good building because of that.
7.5

A firm 10:)

I live in the Seattle area, and seeing this lovely jewel from the ferries is quite a treat. It is simply luscious, elegant, statuesque. But it's not the most popular building among Seattle folk. I personally think it is a completely underrated high-rise, and one of the two best high-rises in the City (the Smith Tower being the other)

Bank of America Tower (formerly known as the Columbia Tower) is more popular. I guess because of it's height~~~but I find it to be such an ugly eyesore. Wa Mutual is large and elegant. Seattle BofA Tower is large and buffoonish.

7.5/10

Average 7.25/10.-------->7.5

I like it 8/10

Brilliant tower. The curve, the glass, the design of the facade is all top notch. The top needs something, I dont know what. But it is lacking. But this and the Mellon Bank in Philly are 2 of my favorite towers in the US outside of a few choice ones in NYC

9.5/10

Great Design !

7.5

From closeby it looks great.
Not the best though
7.5/10

5/10

8.5/10 This building is Awesome

8/10.

8.5/10.

4,5/10

10/10 ;)

8/10

10/10

6/10

5!

nothing special

Nice :okay:

it's ok 8/10

7/10

7.5/10

8.5/10

8/10

A really nice tower, looks perfect in the seattle skyline! 9.5/10

not too my taste a bit overdone 6/10

7/10

7/10

8.5/10, stunning

8/10

10. gorgeous.

9/10 Magnificent design

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3918/21117766dsc05798xg9.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/1654/40682897s6610vn6.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2076/40654497s6508mz0.jpg10

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7193/13685899dsc01432mk5.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1250/13685898dsc01431yp8.jpg

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/1984/10435626kj1.jpg romanpaucin

This one looks very nice like its style 8.5/10

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6050/wwww11111ko0.jpg

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/3204/wwww12bk5.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9017/www12121fn8.jpg http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6682/www555he7.jpg

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1378/www12121dx5.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4307/www555gk7.jpg

These kinds of towers are great. 9.5

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7596/wwww21ea0.jpg http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/8561/wwww22ni7.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8536/3dwashmutual1nl8.jpg http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/1488/3dwashmutual2ui2.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/583/3dwashmutual3ci8.jpg http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6805/3dwashmutual4cl0.jpg

7/10

Not bad. A 7 out of 10.

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/1228/seattlereflectedsmlj4.jpg http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/3883/mj7kd6.jpg

A nice building. 7/10

7/10

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/6479/www218rm5.jpg

8/10

6/10

6/10

8,5/10

5/10

awesome 9/10

8.5

7.5/10

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5439/wamu1wq0.jpg

9/10 ;)

mmmm. Another impressive KPF masterpiece. 10/10

3/10

8/10

postmodernizm is coool :D 10

Nothing spectacular about this...IMO

5/10

6. its ok

7/10

9/10:)

This building looks interesting.

9/10

8/10

8/10

8.5/10

looks asian with overkill detail.

7/10

7,5/10

8/10

Not my type of scraper, but even I can see this is a beauty. 7/10

8/10

8/10

7.5/10

Very very nice !

8.0/10

7.5/10

7.5

7/10

Too much going on

10. Excellent building. Regards.

9/10

10/10

voted 6.5/10 too ordinary for me.

Strange post-modernist historicist pile. 6

8.5/10

7!

Once again: great colours, weird shape. 5/10

7.5/10 just OK

10/10

8.5/10

9/10

7/10 :)

8.5/10

6/10

8/10

7,5/10

7/10

9.5/10

One of the best from KPF. Probably the best in Seattle, as well.

for some of the lower raters of this building i am curious, what is a 9 or 10 building for u?

7/10

7/10

7/10

9/10

7/10

8/10

8/10

8.5/10