The Space Needle observation tower in Seattle has reopened to the public following an extensive overhaul by American firm Olson Kundig Architects, which involved adding "the world's first and only revolving glass floor".
Olson Kundig's Century Project saw the renovation of the 184-metre-high structure, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair, and has remained a landmark on the skyline and a popular tourist attraction.
The firm reconfigured and stripped back the interiors of the disc-shaped volume at the top of the tower's massive hourglass-shaped stilts, where an observation deck is located above a restaurant.
Photograph courtesy of Space Needle and Rod Mar
Inside the restaurant, the team replaced the existing rotating floor with a glass version called The Loupe, which they claim is a world's first. Like its predecessor, the new glass floor makes one complete orbit per hour. But it now offers diners views of the tower's structure and mechanics, as well as the Seattle Center campus below.
Other changes focus on offering uninterrupted 360-degree views of downtown Seattle and the Puget Sound ? an estuary along the northwestern coast of Washington state ? from the deck located on the level above.
Tall glass screens take the place of wire safety cages and metal barriers, which previously wrapped the outer deck and blocked views from the platform. The glass panels measure 11 by 7 feet (3.4 by 2.1 metres) and are slanted to avoid glare, while glass benches are inte...