Seattle Space Needle Observation Deck Gets $100-Million Makeover

With the Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier as a backdrop, workers from Hoffman Construction install new glass panels on the iconic Space Needle’s observation deck.
PHOTO BY ROD MAR
With the Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier as a backdrop, workers from Hoffman Construction install new glass panels on the iconic Space Needle’s observation deck. Part of a $100-million renovation, the 11-ft x 17-ft, 2.5-in.-thick panels will create a fully transparent 360° floor-to-ceiling viewing experience. Because the 2,300-lb panels are too large for the tower’s elevators, Hoffman equipped a gantry crane with remote-controlled drone motors to stabilize the glass units. Workers set the glass in place with the aid of a custom 5,600-lb robotic placement machine. The machine precisely maneuvers each panel using eight 20-in. x 12-in. suction cups joined to a robotic arm. The renovation program is scheduled for completion in July.
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