Rainier Square Tower

3/28/19 Rainier Square Tower under construction at 4th and Union

When a sketch by local architect and urban sketcher Andika Murandi caught my attention, I inquired about his vantage point because it wasn’t familiar to me. He had made the drawing from a “hidden gem” – a terrace that is barely visible from the street, and even the entrance is somewhat shrouded by bushes. No wonder I had never noticed it. As Andika had already discovered, it’s an ideal spot from which to sketch the old Rainier Tower (which looks like a tree that a beaver has been gnawing on or a pencil stuck in the ground) and the new Rainier Square Tower still under construction. (Can those names be any more confusing, especially for two buildings standing side by side?)

At the first opportunity, I went downtown to check out the terrace for myself (with thoughts of a potential USk sketch outing in mind). With plenty of tables and chairs, it’s clearly intended for the public to use, but at midday, I had the place to myself. What a gem, indeed! I’ll probably be back someday to sketch progress on the new tower, which will be the second-tallest building in Seattle.