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19S9
Mumuirvu. Kti-tKtHCE LIBRARY
\&"^+* Branch of Seattle Public Library
5C8A County-City Building
Seattle 4, Wash
Century 21 State Building Unveiled by Governor Rosellini
Pictured above is a bird's eye view of the gigantic three-acre
Coliseum of Nations to be built by the state for the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle. Unlike anything ever built before, the structure
will represent a unique contribution to the field of architectural design. Construction will start November 1.
Formally approved for the state by State Commerce Director H. D.
Kreager, after recommendation by the World Fair Commission and
the Executive Committee of the Century 21 Corporation, the model
was publicly unveiled by Governor Albert D. Rosellini on May 27.
The unique building will house international science and commercial exhibits during the 1961-62 exposition. Plans call for the purchase of the structure by the City of Seattle after the exposition and
pacity of 18,000 persons.
The huge Coliseum, designed by architect Paul Thiry, F.A
hibit spac
glass walls. A spectacular roof of multi-colore
will sweep 110 feet into the air at the apex (11 stories high), supported by steel compression trusses rising from sculptured concrete
abutments. More than five and one-half miles of steel cables will be
laced from the steel trusses on eight-foot centers to secure the
giant form.
In making the announcement, Rosellini described the Coliseum as
a "remarkable architectural achievement in perfect harmony with
the science theme of the exposition."
"The entire state will benefit from the millions of visitors who
will start coming to Seattle two years from today to view the
thrilling Space-Age exhibits within this building," he said.
The cost of the Coliseum is estimated at ¥3,812,000 and the construction will include an adjacent heating plant building in the
four-square-block area. These funds are available from the $7,500,000
tare for the exposition.
"Our primary goal in designing the Coliseum," declared Thiry,
"was to provide the State with both a dramatic and functional exhibition hall which in itself will focus world-wide attention on the
Century 21 Exposition."
"However, we kept in mind at all times the ultimate conversion
of the building into a sports and convention center after 1962. We
established sight lines, planned lighting, and located other utilities
so that the converted structure will be one of the most flexible and
modern Sports Coliseums in the country."
Thiry pointed out seating capacity for basketball, ice hockey, boxing, or other sports events might vary between 12,000 and 18,000
persons depending upon the need and the nature of the conversion.
Kreager noted that final negotiations with the City of Seattle have
not been concluded, but that discussions are currently underway between legal representatives of the City and the State. "Architect
Thiry has come up with a magnificent structure that the city can
convert for sports purposes without having to alter the basic building in any way. This will permit the state to recover a maximum
return on its investment, and the City to achieve its need for a covered sports pavilion with a minimum of additional expenditure.
Certain peripheral structures, now owned by the state and scheduled for architectural conversion to fit into the over-all Century 21
site plan, can be retained by the state, if desirable, for future state
offices for Seattle branches of agencies headquartered in Olympia."
Page Three
Washington Dept. of Commerce & Economic Development.
PROGRESS. ^uly 1, 1959.
