Columbia Center

The Columbia Center holds the title of the tallest building in Seattle, defined by its three distinct curved segments that rise seventy-six stories into the skyline. When it opened in nineteen eighty-five, developers insisted on a design that avoided a flat, boxy silhouette. The architect, Chester Lindsey, pushed for this faceted shape to break up the wind load and prevent the structure from feeling like a solid wall. It remains the anchor of the financial district, visible from almost every point in town.