Skyscraper Day: 15 Tallest Skyscrapers in the Pacific Northwest

In honor of International Skyscraper Day, we’ll explore the tallest skyscrapers in the Pacific Northwest, their standout designs, and the roles they continue to play in shaping their cities.

Skyscrapers have always been symbols of progress, shaping the way we see cities across the globe. The very first one went up in Chicago in 1885. It was just 10 stories tall, but revolutionary for its time.

Since then, advances in construction and design have pushed buildings higher and higher, giving fast-growing cities room to stretch skyward. By the early 1900s, the Pacific Northwest began adding its own towers, each reflecting the region’s economy, culture, and innovative spirit.

In Seattle’s bustling financial district and Portland’s evolving downtown, these buildings do more than fill the skyline; they tell stories about the eras in which they were built.

Fox Tower, Portland OR (2000)

– Year Started: 1997
– Year Completed: 2000
– Number of Floors:27
– Height:372 ft (113 m)

Fox Tower is a postmodern office tower that helped extend Portland’s retail core south along Broadway. Developed by Tom Moyer, it added a large multi-screen cinema and underground parking that connects to nearby shopping. Its tapered corners and reflective glazing minimize bulk at street level. The building is part of a larger redevelopment of the former Fox Theatre block, maintaining the name as a nod to the site’s history.

One Union Square, Seattle WA (1981)

– Year Started: 1980
– Year Completed: 1981
– Number of Floors:36
– Height:456 ft (139 m)

One Union Square is an aluminum-clad office tower in Seattle’s Union Square complex. Designed by TRA, it was noted for consolidating life-safety systems in one location, a first for Seattle office buildings at the time. The project set the stage for the later Two Union Square tower and the underground retail concourse that connects the block. Its efficient floor plates keep the profile slender in the skyline.

Smith Tower, Seattle WA (1914)

– Year Started: 1911
– Year Completed: 1914
– Number of Floors:38
– Height:462 ft (141 m)

Smith Tower opened as one of the tallest office buildings in the world outside New York and remains a Seattle landmark. The tower’s neoclassical profile and pyramid-topped crown make it instantly recognizable. An observation area and the Chinese Room highlight the building’s early-20th-century craftsmanship. Extensive restorations have modernized systems while preserving historic details.

KOIN Tower, Portland OR (1984)

– Year Started: 1983
– Year Completed: 1984
– Number of Floors:35
– Height:509 ft (155 m)

KOIN Tower combines offices, residences, and broadcast studios in a single mixed-use skyscraper. Designed by ZGF, its copper-colored cladding and pyramidal crown give it a distinctive silhouette. The tower anchored redevelopment in Portland’s South Downtown. KOIN’s presence brought a major television broadcaster to the building for decades.

Rainier Tower, Seattle WA (1977)

– Year Started: 1973
– Year Completed: 1977
– Number of Floors:41
– Height:514 ft (157 m)

Rainier Tower is famous for its dramatic pedestal, which narrows to a small base to open the block for a plaza and retail. The design by Minoru Yamasaki balanced urban space-making with a large office floor plate above. The building recently gained a new neighbor, Rainier Square Tower, which replaced the former mall on the block. Together, they form one of downtown Seattle’s most striking juxtapositions.

Madison Centre, Seattle WA (2017)

– Year Started: 2014
– Year Completed: 2017
– Number of Floors:37
– Height:530 ft (162 m)

Madison Centre brought a new generation of Class A offices to downtown Seattle with a focus on daylight, collaboration, and amenities. The building’s three-story great room and curved facade create a welcoming entry sequence. It sits near Seattle’s courthouse and library, strengthening the civic corridor along Fifth Avenue. The tower’s floor plates and efficient core support flexible tenant layouts.

U.S. Bancorp Tower, Portland OR (1983)

– Year Started: 1981
– Year Completed: 1983
– Number of Floors:42
– Height:536 ft (163 m)

Known as “Big Pink,” the U.S. Bancorp Tower uses pink Spanish granite and tinted glass for its distinctive color. Designed by SOM with Pietro Belluschi as consultant, the parallelogram plan avoids right angles to fit the street grid. The building delivered one of the state’s largest office floor areas. An upper-level restaurant has long offered panoramic city views.

Docusign Tower (formerly Wells Fargo Center), Seattle WA (1983)

– Year Started: 1981
– Year Completed: 1983
– Number of Floors:47
– Height:574 ft (175 m)

Located on a steep downtown block, Docusign Tower features multiple terraced plazas and a public hill-climb that connects Second and Third avenues. The six-sided plan and granite cladding give it a strong vertical expression. The tower has undergone several name changes with major tenants over time. It remains a prominent part of Seattle’s Third Avenue canyon.

Russell Investments Center, Seattle WA (2006)

– Year Started: 2004
– Year Completed: 2006
– Number of Floors:42
– Height:598 ft (182 m)

Originally built as WaMu Center, the tower integrates the Seattle Art Museum within its lower floors. Designed by NBBJ, it offers a mid-block plaza and a rooftop garden that employees can access. The building changed names after Washington Mutual’s collapse and later took the Russell Investments name when the firm relocated its headquarters. It is among the largest office buildings downtown by floor area.

Safeco Plaza, Seattle WA (1969)

– Year Started: 1966
– Year Completed: 1969
– Number of Floors:50
– Height:630 ft (192 m)

Safeco Plaza was Seattle’s first modern high-rise tower to accurately reflect its status and the city’s tallest from 1969 to 1985. Designed by NBBJ, the tower is nicknamed “the box the Space Needle came in.” Its bronze-toned facade and rectilinear form exemplify late International Style commercial design. The plaza incorporates public art, including a Henry Moore sculpture.

F5 Tower (The Mark), Seattle WA (2017)

– Year Started: 2014
– Year Completed: 2017
– Number of Floors:44
– Height:660 ft (200 m)

F5 Tower combines a modern glass office shaft with a preserved historic sanctuary next door, creating a striking contrast. The tower’s prismatic form was engineered for wind performance and energy efficiency. A luxury hotel originally occupied part of the complex before conversion. The building’s name reflects its primary technology tenant.

Seattle Municipal Tower, Seattle WA (1990)

– Year Started: 1987
– Year Completed: 1990
– Number of Floors:62
– Height:722 ft (220 m)

Seattle Municipal Tower serves as a major hub for city departments and public services. The stepped massing reduces wind loads and creates multiple setbacks that break down the facade. Its location south of the library anchors the government district. Upper floors offer expansive views over Elliott Bay and the stadiums.

Two Union Square, Seattle WA (1989)

– Year Started: 1987
– Year Completed: 1989
– Number of Floors:56
– Height:741 ft (226 m)

Two Union Square is the signature tower of the Union Square complex designed by NBBJ. The official architectural height is 741 ft to the roof, and it reaches 797 ft if the flagpole tip is counted. The tower pioneered high-strength concrete in Seattle and connects underground to retail and nearby hotels. Its articulated facade gives it a dynamic presence in the skyline.

1201 Third Avenue, Seattle WA (1988)

– Year Started: 1986
– Year Completed: 1988
– Number of Floors:55
– Height:772 ft (235 m)

Formerly Washington Mutual Tower, 1201 Third Avenue introduced a postmodern crown that lightens the building’s profile. Developed by Wright Runstad, it occupies a block that integrates transit access and retail. The building’s lobby and through-block connections support heavy pedestrian flow. It remains one of Seattle’s most photographed towers.

Columbia Center, Seattle WA (1985)

– Year Started: 1982
– Year Completed: 1985
– Number of Floors:76
– Height:933 ft (284 m)

As of 2025, Columbia Center is the tallest building in the Pacific Northwest and a defining element of Seattle’s skyline. Designed by Chester L. Lindsey Architects, the tower’s three-tiered massing steps back to reduce shadow and wind effects. An observation level provides public views, while the sky lobby serves office tenants. Its height and dark glass make it a dominant visual anchor across the city.