1201 Third Avenue

1201 Third Avenue — formerly known as the Washington Mutual Tower — stands 235 meters tall across 55 floors, making it Seattle's second-tallest skyscraper. Opened on May 15, 1988, it was the city's first explicitly postmodern high-rise, and the New York Times named it one of the three best new office buildings in the country that year. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, its stepped crown and pale granite cladding set it apart from the glass curtain-wall towers surrounding it in downtown Seattle. Washington Mutual vacated the building in 2006 when it moved to the nearby WaMu Center, and the tower has since cycled through various tenants while remaining a fixture of the city skyline.