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A centrepiece for a World’s Fair
The Space Needle was built at Seattle Center for the 1962 World’s Fair, whose theme was the Age of Space. Edward E. Carlson, the fair’s chief organiser, sketched the first idea; the architect John Graham Jr. proposed the flying-saucer top and Victor Steinbrueck the hourglass profile of the tower.


Built in eight months
Construction began on 17 April 1961 and was completed in December 1961, eight months later, for about $4.5 million. The tower opened on 21 April 1962. At 605 feet it was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi, and it was built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph and earthquakes of up to magnitude 9.0.
A landmark renewed
Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board designated the Space Needle a city landmark in April 1999. In September 2017 work began on the Century Project, the largest renovation in its history, and in August 2018 the Loupe reopened as an indoor observation level with a revolving glass floor.


