1200 Fifth
1200 Fifth, formerly the IBM Building, is a 20-story office building in the Metropolitan Tract, part of downtown Seattle, Washington. The building was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who also was architect of Rainier Tower on the corner diagonally opposite, and the World Trade Center in New York City. Construction on the building began in May 1963 and it was completed in October 1964.
| 1200 Fifth | |
|---|---|
Location within downtown Seattle | |
| Former names | IBM Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 1200 Fifth Avenue Seattle, Washington, 98101 |
| Coordinates | 47.608398°N 122.332935°W |
| Construction started | May 1963 |
| Completed | October 1964 |
| Owner | Unico Properties |
| Height | |
| Roof | 84.13 m (276.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 20 |
| Floor area | 225,000 sq ft (20,900 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Minoru Yamasaki NBBJ |
| Structural engineer | Magnusson Klemencic Associates |
| Main contractor | Howard S. Wright Companies |
| References | |
Nard Jones wrote in 1972 that "There is an architectural poetry about [the building] that is at variance with the endless jibes at computerization and the alleged sober pragmatism of IBM personnel." The building's crown has a series of 191 "fins" that measure 23 feet (7.0 m) tall and surround the machinery floors.
The corner of the complex at 5th Avenue and University Street was the site of the Seattle Ice Arena from 1915 to 1963.