ABSTRACT
Sydney, Australia, shares many characteristics with Seattle. That dynamic port city on the other side of the Pacific Rim has a skyline bursting with gleaming towers that hug the edge of a spectacular waterfront. The waterfront is even lined with a multilevel viaduct—although Sydney's structural behemoth carries not cars but sleek subway trains. Seattle has a similarly impressive public project on its central water-front. Put together by the Port of Seattle, the Bell Street Pier complex provides an array of attractions for both locals and visitors. On the east side of Alaskan Way, another part of the project is Waterfront Landings, a complex of condominiums. From a distance, the Bell Street Pier looks like a compact collection of colorful metal sheds that might have been progressively plunked down helter skelter along the water's edge. The architecture of the Bell Street Pier displays sophisticated detailing using industrial forms and materials.
