We’ve explored Thiry — principal architect of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair — before with this First National Bank rendering. Now let’s trace the concepts that eventually ended up as the final structure. Click for the high res.
 |
| Proposed building for the Seattle-First National Bank (1959-1961)by Paul Thiry. The site for the Century 21 Branch of the Seattle First National Bank was located at the northwest corner of the Friendship Mall. Image courtesy University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division. |
The man at the left in the yellow and black striped jacket seems to be paralyzed, like that fellow in the Vonnegut story who stopped walking in the middle of a crosswalk and just stood there because he couldn’t think of any reason to continue doing anything at all, until a policeman shouted at him to get a move on, which proved to be the impetus he needed to resume his life.
Matt, you want I should yell at the guy in the yellow and black striped jacket?
What a shame that house is going, going, gone.
Loved all the comments on the SLOG. Some hate the concrete, some hate all the teak, some just hate the design.
Run down? Yes, not a Mc mansion? double yes.
I see a beautiful show piece “Moderne”home in need of extensive TLC. There oughta be a law to prevent this destruction.
The new “Moderne” standard, “Little houses made of ticky tacky, all standing in a row”
@Louis, I’m sure it would do him some good, but you might have to be wearing copper buttons.
@Jack, I’m biased toward warm, earthy, cluttery hobbit-holes, so the openness and spareness and aluminumness of the Thiry house kinda depressed me, to say nothing of the concrete. Still, I keep hearing this guy’s name as one of the local pioneers of the modern style, and while it may not be my cup of ale, I agree the house should have found refuge in the care of someone that would appreciate its significance. I did love the fold out kitchen…great for surprising someone on their birthday.