Roof-Painting-winner.jpg
The Space Needle chose from among six finalists for a new roof design, and opted to go green. (Mock design courtesy The Space Needle)

Space Needle picks new roof paint job

BY KIRO Radio Staff  on October 22, 2012 @ 6:18 am (Updated: 4:43 pm - 10/22/12 )

The Space Needle is getting a new paint job to commemorate its 50th anniversary and officials decided they would go green Monday.

The private company that owns the Seattle icon held its first-ever open competition this year to come up with the winning design. The design will adorn the top of the Needle for the next six months.

The final designs were picked from a group of about 500 entries.

The designer of the tree-themed topper drew her inspiration from the Emerald City itself. According to winning graphic designer Nicole Commins, 29, "Having traveled to many different parts of the world, I can truly say that Seattle is one of the most beautiful cities that we live in."

The campaign started earlier this summer with a cryptic message reading #TopThis, inviting people to enter their designs in the contest.

The tree design will adorn the top of the Space Needle until its 51st birthday, on April 21, 2013.

KIRO Radio Editor Val Stouffer contributed to this report.

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Comments (5)


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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Century 21 was all about living in the future....check the time stamp on this story
    October 22, 2012 7:20 am
    As I type this comment, the clock on my computer reads 8:12 AM. That's accurate to within less than a minute.

    The story about the space needle paint job was "updated" this morning at 9:03 AM, about 50 minutes into the future.

    The good folks at KIRO really are quite a ways ahead of the rest of us. :-)

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  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    And now for somthing a bit different..
    October 22, 2012 8:03 am
    Zebra stripes. Why not? Some of the colors the Needle has had in years past have been far more appaling. Even the traditional orange. Always looked like a not quite finished primer job on a Ford Pickup..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Two words:
    October 22, 2012 11:35 am
    Who cares.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    white,
    October 22, 2012 11:39 am
    go back to the white.

    tired of the rust orange.

    the needle that you see in pretty much ALL postcards and famous depictions is white. go back to the white.

    ...and hurry up already.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Looks very familiar indeed.
    October 22, 2012 6:59 pm
    Oh of course, the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene OR. Go Ducks!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }