Space Needle starts making its green transition
Nov 12, 2012, 11:42 AM | Updated: 12:20 pm
(Photo by KIRO Radio traffic reporter Kimi Kline)
The Emerald City is getting even greener.
Crews at the Space Needle started painting green for the contest-winning tree design over the current “galaxy gold” hue over the weekend.
Tree-themed designer Nicole Commins, 29, calls Seattle home, but has traveled all over. Still, she said Seattle is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Commins entered to win the mysterious Top This contest, in which artists submitted designs for the iconic landmark.
In a note included with her entry in the contest, Commins said, “The city is inspiration in itself. Picture our [city’s] beautiful skyline, with its unique Space Needle, painted a top, beautiful, vibrant shades of green.”
The tree design will cover the iconic Seattle landmark for the next six months. Space Needle President and CEO Ron Sevart suggested that following the Galaxy Gold throwback color to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Worlds Fair, this design will help point Seattle toward the next 50 years.
“This really is a nod to our heritage. We were built as a symbol of the future, born of the imagination of a few and embraced by the world,” said Sevart. “As we look ahead, this is our way to continue to stir the imagination and look ahead to our next 50 years.”
The Space Needle, 605 feet tall, officially opened on the first day of the World’s Fair in 1962.
Nearly 20,000 people traveled to the top of the Space Needle during the fair and it’s still one of Seattle’s most popular tourist attractions.