Landslide
Marvels of Modernism: Pacific Science Center Courtyard
Minoru Yamasaki designed what is now the Pacific Science Center鈥檚 courtyard as the U.S. Science Pavilion for the 1962 World鈥檚 Fair in Seattle, Washington.
Yamasaki incorporated white 鈥渨edding cake鈥 courtyard walls, white sculpted arches, and concrete platforms 鈥渇loating鈥 in serene reflection pools to create an abstractly classical and thoroughly unique space. Yamasaki鈥檚 design featured ornate formations of cast concrete and high-tech materials decorated with a Modern Gothic motif. While significant both regionally (as the only remaining outdoor space originally designed for the 1962 World鈥檚 Fair) and internationally (as a design by the noted architect of the World Trade Center Towers), the Pacific Science Center lacks the funds for needed maintenance of the space.