Although the Space Needle is probably the most immediately identifiable Seattle landmark to an international audience, the 76-storey Columbia Center serves as the hefty linchpin in the skyline. Designed by Chester Lindsey Architects for Martin Selig, the 1985-built office skyscraper is clad in smoked tempered glass and Carnelian granite, lending the building its unmistakable grandeur. At 287 metres, the tallest skyscraper in the city also boasts the Sky View Observatory, the highest public viewing area in the Pacific Northwest. Located 73 floors above the ground, the 360 degree panoramic view offers visitors an unparalleled look at some of the region's greatest assets, including the Cascade Mountains, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and the Space Needle.

The 76-storey geometric facade of the Columbia Center, image by Laurie Landau

The six-sided Wells Fargo Center is the prevailing landmark when visitors shift their eyes towards the west. What was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast, the Seattle Great Wheel, becomes easily distinguishable as it fronts Elliott Bay. The 53-metre attraction on Pier 57 opened in June 2012 and is separated from the Seattle Aquarium by the boardwalk of Waterfront Park.

Wells Fargo Center and the Seattle Great Wheel, image by Laurie Landau

Like most urban waterfront property around the world, the downtown land abutting Elliott Bay is largely commercial, denoting Seattle's important function as a major trade partner with Asia. The third largest port in North America includes Harbor Island, which was the world's biggest artificial island when it was completed in 1909. Along with the neighbourhood of West Seattle, which was incorporated as an independent town in 1902 and annexed five years later, the island is separated from Seattle proper by the Duwamish River. Further to the west, the Olympic Mountains are visible. Their highest peak is Mount Olympus, which at 2,386 metres ranks fifth in the state of Washington.

Looking southwest towards Harbor Island and West Seattle, image by Laurie Landau

To the northwest, the Sky View offers a glimpse of the densifying downtown core sporadically dotted by tower cranes for the latest highrise developments, including 2nd + Pine and Tower 12. The Space Needle and Key Arena, frequent host of WNBA and NCAA basketball, are notable landmarks in the immediate area. Forming a major portion of the Lake Washington Ship Canal is Lake Union, which is located on the right side of the image below. Discovery Park — Seattle's largest green space — and the waters of Puget Sound comprise the backdrop of the photo.

Landmarks to the northwest include the Space Needle and Key Arena, image by Laurie Landau

Panning a bit eastward gives visitors a broader look at the construction action, including Tilt 49 and Kinects Tower rising at the far right of the image below. Pointing the lens downwards presents some dramatic views of the steel-framed Madison Centre and The Mark, two major office additions in the central business district that are rapidly taking shape.

The skyscrapers of Downtown Seattle, including Kinects and Tilt 49 to the far right, image by Laurie Landau

The Mark and Madison Centre under construction, image by Laurie Landau

Directly to the north is the Washington State Convention Center, which notably bridges over Interstate 5. It borders the First Hill neighbourhood, where some of Seattle's most venerable and valued institutions are located. These include Seattle University, Harborview Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, and Virginia Mason Medical Center. Columbia Center casts a long shadow on this neighbourhood and the adjacent 220-metre Seattle Municipal Tower.

Madison Centre, Interstate 5, and the Washington State Convention Center, image by Laurie Landau

Seattle Municipal Tower and the First Hill neighbourhood, image by Laurie Landau

The landscape behind these campuses is largely structured by Lake Washington, the second largest lake in the state behind only Lake Chelan. It surrounds Mercer Island, which is connected to the city via Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, the second longest floating bridge in the world. The island itself is also notable for being the most populated island within a lake in the United States. The large freshwater lake borders a number of other neighbouring cities, including Renton, Kenmore, Kirkland, and Bellevue, whose skyline is depicted in the background of the image below.

The Harborview Medical Center, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, and Bellevue, image by Laurie Landau

Interstate 5, Interstate 90, Lake Washington, and Mercer Island, image by Laurie Landau

Visitors who are familiar with Seattle's sports franchises will likely recognize the two huge stadiums to the south. CenturyLink Field has provided a home for the National Football League's Seattle Seahawks and Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC since 2002 and 2009, respectively. The venue is partially obscured by the Stadium Place development to the north; the tower crane pictured below signifies the construction of a new Embassy Suites Hotel. The Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball have played out of Safeco Field since it opened in 1999. The retractable-roof stadium has a seating capacity of 47,943 and features picturesque skyline views of the city.

CenturyLink Field, Safeco Field, Pioneer Square, and the Industrial District, image by Laurie Landau

In the foreground, shipping containers and derrick cranes mark Seattle's principal industrial area, the aptly named Industrial District, while Richardsonian Romanesque-style buildings line the streets of Pioneer Square. In the far distance is Mount Rainier of the Cascade Range, the highest peak in Washington and the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States.

Mount Rainier provides an elegant backdrop to the city, image by Flickr user Joe Wolf via Creative Commons

Columbia Center's innovative earthquake-resistant design required the use of viscoelastic dampers and triangular-shaped bracing, making it one of the safest and strongest buildings in the region. Its dark and concave facade, enhanced by setbacks, has made it a superstar skyscraper among a downtown cluster of towers that is consistently growing denser with new neighbours. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, Seattle's maturing skyline will only become more crowded. And while that urban renaissance has led to the proposed 4/C project, which threatens to usurp the Columbia Center's skyline supremacy, the skyscraper will remain a popular destination for people seeking to fully admire Seattle's famous blend of urban and natural landscapes.

The concave elevation of the Columbia Center, image by Laurie Landau

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