UW Tower, Office building in University District, Seattle, US
UW Tower is a tall office building in Seattle owned by the University of Washington that houses administrative areas and various departments. The building stands out in the University District with its distinctive shape formed by large columns at street level and earth-toned colors.
The building was constructed in 1975 by architectural firm NBBJ and originally served as headquarters for Safeco Insurance. The University of Washington purchased it in 2006 and has used it as an administrative center since then.
The building serves as a workplace for many university employees and shapes how the University District looks today. It is a daily gathering place where staff from different departments move between offices and meet throughout the day.
The building is open during regular business hours, but visitors should expect security checks when entering. It helps to bring valid identification and check in advance which areas are accessible to visitors.
The building rests on large octagonal columns that rise from street level and create an open plaza beneath it. This architectural solution lets pedestrians walk through under the columns and gives the place an unusual spatial quality.
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