Why the Seattle Aquarium's new building looks weathered now
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I couldn't help but notice over the past few months that the Seattle Aquarium's shiny new building — the Ocean Pavilion, which opened last year — isn't looking quite so shiny anymore.
- The wooden siding, once smoother and more golden-toned, now appears worn and gray in many areas.
But aquarium officials tell me that's all part of the plan.
Zoom in: The Ocean Pavilion, a key element of Seattle's restored downtown waterfront, features siding made of soft Alaskan yellow cedar wood.
- "It is designed to weather down and turn silver," aquarium spokesperson Tim Kuniholm told me.
- The idea is to "mimic driftwood on the beach," Kuniholm said, calling the look "very intentional."
I was a bit skeptical of this, particularly when I saw a construction cone marking where water from the roof was dripping down the siding in October. (That was a temporary drainage issue that has since been fixed, Kuniholm said.)
- Design documents, however, reinforce that the architects wanted the building to "reflect the driftwood found on Pacific Northwest shorelines."
- The wood is also sustainably sourced, rot-resistant and purchased from an Indigenous-led company, aquarium officials note.
What's next: Eventually, the wooden siding (which faces Elliott Bay) "will all go silver," Kuniholm said.
- Until then, the building may sport a two-tone look — kind of like it's going through its awkward teenage phase.
