SEATTLE CENTER: Exploring ways to document, designate and reactivate the Modern era exposition site as a historic district

Abstract

Significant Modern era spaces are inspiring sites that embrace the science and technologies of the mid-century. These sites directly reflect these characteristics through their site layouts and universal design principles, but often go unnoticed and unappreciated. Modern era sites can once again be successful through documentation, preservation and reactivation. To explore this concept this thesis focuses on an excellent example of Pacific Northwest Modern era design, the Seattle Center. This site has its own set of challenges with both preserving the site and integrating the campus within the urban neighborhood that surrounds it. The best approach to addressing these issues is a two-step process: 1) obtaining historic designation through a holistic approach as a historic district and 2) moving beyond designation and reactivating the site through design interventions; Preserve + Reactivate.