>>>
>>> WELCOME BACK. 55 YEARS CAN TAKE ITS TOLL ON
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY
A 605 FOOT TALL ICON.
THIS LANDMARK IS READY FOR ITS
MAKEOVER.
MAKEOVER.
MAKEOVER. THE PLANS ARE IN PLACE AND THE
PLATFORM HAS BEEN RAISED.
TIME TO GET TO WORK.
IT LOOKS LIKE A GIANT BILLBOARD
IN THE SKY. THIS MASSIVE TARP
INSTALLED BENEATH THE NEEDLES
TOP HOUSE PROVIDES WORKERS A
REFUGE FROM OUR NOTORIOUS
NORTHWEST WEATHER.
NORTHWEST WEATHER. BEHIND THE ENCLOSURE NEARLY
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN STRIPPED
AWAY. THIS AREA WAS ONCE A
RESTAURANT.
RESTAURANT. ALL THIS IS NECESSARY TO
INSTALL THE MATERIAL THAT WILL
CHANGE THE WAY VISITORS SEE THE
NEEDLE.
NEEDLE.
NEEDLE. >> WE WENT BACK TO THEIR
ORIGINAL DESIGNS AND MODELS.'S
>> TIME AND TECHNOLOGY DID NOT
ALLOW FOR AS MUCH GLASS TO BE
INSTALLED AS WAS ORIGINALLY
DESIGNED.
DESIGNED.
DESIGNED. FOR THE NEW LOOK HOFFMAN
CONSTRUCTION CHILD HERZOG GLASS
TO TAKE ON THE JOB.
>> THEY INSTALLED ALL THE GLASS
IN THE BUILDING.
EVEN THE MIRRORS IN THE
RESTROOMS.
RESTROOMS. >> THE MOST TALKED ABOUT
INSTALL IS TO THE FLOOR THAT
ONCE HELD THE RESTAURANT.
>> THE GLASS FLOOR WAS NOT AN
IDEA INITIALLY.
IDEA INITIALLY. WE WERE TESTING A LOT OF IDEAS
JUST FOR THE EXERCISE OF
EXPERIMENTATION.
EXPERIMENTATION. >> THE THINKING WENT TO REPLACE
IN THE NEEDLES METAL FLOOR WITH
ONE MADE OF GLASS.
THE FLOOR IS ACTUALLY MADE OF
TWO DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF
GLASS.
GLASS.
GLASS. THE TOP LAYER HAS SIX SHEETS
LAMINATED TOGETHER.
LAMINATED TOGETHER. THE BOTTOM PIECE FOUR LAYERS
AND SITS JUST BELOW WHERE THE
METAL SOFFITS ONCE STOOD.
>> THERE ARE LITTLE DOTS THAT
ARE ON THE GLASS SO YOU CANNOT
SEE IN BUT YOU CAN SEE OUT.
>> THERE ARE 12 MOTORS CAPABLE
OF ROTATING THE ROOM ONCE
AROUND IN AS LITTLE AS 20
MINUTES.
MINUTES.
MINUTES. >> WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE
THROUGH THE GLASS YOU WILL SEE
THOSE LITTLE ASSEMBLIES AND YOU
WILL SEE THE MOTORS THAT ARE
THERE AND THE GEAR.
>> BEST OF ALL YOU CAN SEE
PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN VIEWS OF THE
NEEDLE ITSELF.
NEEDLE ITSELF. >> ONE THING THAT WE ARE DOING
THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE
PAST AS WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING THE
ACTUAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
OF THE SPACE NEEDLE IN WAYS
THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN EXPOSED
BEFORE.
BEFORE.
BEFORE. >> IF YOU PREFER TO LOOK
THROUGH GLASS RATHER THAN WALK
ON IT GLASS ON THE OBSERVATION
DECK IS A CLEAR ALTERNATIVE.
>> IT'S A COMPOSITE OF THREE
PIECES OF GLASS AND EACH PIECE
HASN'T ENTERED -- INTERLAYER.
IT IS SANDWICHED TOGETHER AND
IN THE LAMINATIONS IF YOU
SHATTER THE GLASS IT WOULD
SHATTER BUT IT WOULD RETAIN
ITSELF AS ONE PIECE SO THAT
CREATES THE SAFETY WHERE IT
WILL NOT COME DOWN.
>> WITH THE ELEVATORS TOO SMALL
TO CARRY THE PANELS EACH HAD TO
BE HOISTED UP BY A GANTRY CRANE
WHEN THE WEATHER WOULD ALLOW
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> MOTHER NATURE WAS THE
CHALLENGE.
CHALLENGE. SHE WANTED TO BLOW AND ALSO THE
THERMALS.
THERMALS.
THERMALS. >> THERE ARE 48 11 BY SEVEN
PANELS AT ALL. EACH ONE WEIGHED
OVER A TON.
>> THERE WAS SO MUCH WEIGHT OUT
THERE.
THERE.
THERE. THE CREWS WERE WORKING AND THEY
VERY MUCH RESPECTED THAT WAY AS
THEY WERE PUTTING THE PIECES IN.
>> TO HELP INSTALL THE PANELS A
SPECIAL MACHINE WAS CREATED FOR
THE PRECARIOUS JOB OF PUTTING
THE PANELS IN PLACE.
>> I GREW UP WITH MY DAD DOING
RESIDENTIAL GLASS.
RESIDENTIAL GLASS. >> IT IS NOT JUST SMOOTH AND
SET IT DOWN AND IT'S DONE.
IT'S A VERY DELIBERATE AND
CAREFUL PROCESS.
CAREFUL PROCESS. YOU MAKE VERY SMALL MOVEMENTS
WITH THE GLASS UNTIL IT FINALLY
GETS SETTLED.
GETS SETTLED. >> MACHINES SET THE PANELS AND
BUT HUMAN HANDS SECURE THEM.
>> THAT IS REALLY WHAT IT GETS
DOWN TO.
DOWN TO.
DOWN TO. THAT IS REALLY ABOUT THE HANDS
AND THE CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT GOES
ALONG WITH INSTALLING SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT. >> ANOTHER GLASS FEATURE ARE
THE NEW BENCHES OR SKY RISERS
AS THEY ARE CALLED.
ALL THE GLASS USED IN THE
CENTURY PROJECT HAS BEEN TESTED
RIGOROUSLY FOR STRENGTH AND
STABILITY.
STABILITY. ALL TOLD 176 TONS OF IT WILL BE
USED IN THE RENOVATION.
IT IS SURE TO GIVE VISITORS OF
YOU UNLIKE ANY THEY HAVE EVER
EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
EXPERIENCED BEFORE. >>> COMING UP --
>> TO BUILD THESE IN THE SKY
WHILE WE ARE OPEN HAS