Client: City of Seattle
Duration: 2018-2020, 2021-2022
Highlight Photo: Artist’s impression of future bridge and waterfront improvements, courtesy of City of Seattle.
The City of Seattle is in the midst of transforming its waterfront district as the demolition of the old Alaskan Way viaduct has opened up opportunities to connect the downtown to the waterfront. The waterfront will feature new, inviting public spaces with improved safety and accessibility for visitors to the area.
As a part of this greater project, the Union Street Pedestrian Bridge with its stairway and elevator connects people walking along Union Street down to Western Avenue and Alaskan Way.
V+M was retained by the City of Seattle to deliver the final design – including design development, specifications and an engineer’s estimate – for the new bridge and elevator. V+M also worked collaboratively with artist Norie Sato to provide structural design support for the public artwork which consisting of a fern frond arching over the stairs and tying into the top of elevator tower.
Lit up fern frond sculpture with downtown towers in the back. 
Rendering of the bridge, staircase, and elevator. 
Constructed bridge, staircase, elevator, and fern frond sculpture lit up at night. 
People gathered for the bridge opening ceremony in December 2022. 
The elevator tower lit up like a lantern by the setting sun and the art screen spanning the bridge. 
The larger-than-life fern frond attached to the elevator tower. 
The staircase leads people down across Alaskan Way to the Waterfront and the Big Wheel just beyond. 
The sculpted underside of the bridge. 
Fern plantings under the staircase. 
Access for Public Storage customers.
Renderings and photos by V+M.