Olympic Tower

One of my favorite buildings in Seattle, the art deco inspired Olympic Tower. It has a very interesting history. In particular I find the idea of “vertical shopping” interesting, a mall before a mall. From the Pacific Coast Architecture Database:

The building was conceived as a new shopping experience, as stores were stacked vertically within the high-rise. Bittman was quoted in the Seattle Times the day before the tower’s grand opening: “I am proud of my work on the Shopping Tower, for it is one of the most unusual structures in the country. The idea of ‘vertical shopping’ is somewhat new, but I believe the idea will become very popular in all cities during the next few years.”

Daily Design 223/366

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