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Under the Arches (U.S. Science Pavilion)

 

This print is inspired by the airy arches at the U.S. Science Pavilion created for the World’s Fair / Century 21 Expo, now known as the Pacific Science Center still standing today. The arches and the Science Pavilion for the Century 21 Expo were designed by local architect Minoru Yamasaki. Yamasaki originally planned a single 110-foot tower instead of the now-iconic set of arches. Upon learning of the plans for the Space Needle, he quickly changed his design as not to be dwarfed by the incoming 650-foot structure. He morphed his plans into five 100-foot illuminated towers topped by graceful, open-ribbed “space gothic” arches. These arches are situated on the primary north-south axis of Seattle Center, and created a visual anchor for fair-goers. Following his work on the Pavilion, Yamasaki was selected as lead architect for the World Trade Center in Manhattan.

The U.S. Science Pavilion was intended to double as a warehouse for the General Services administration, and later be torn down. During the interview for the job, Yamasaki said that the two concepts were incompatible; he would design a science pavilion with no regard to warehouse utilization. The buildings, terrace, and arches still stand to this day and are still being used for scientific education. This print imagines the view of looking up from the terrace into the arches, in bold, technicolor hues.

 

Excerpted text and images copyright of the Pacific Science Center.