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Alfred H. Fast collection on the Space Needle, 1961-1962

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Fast, Alfred H.
Title
Alfred H. Fast collection on the Space Needle
Dates
1961-1962 (inclusive)
Quantity
.21 cubic feet, including 135 photographs , (1 box)
Collection Number
2005.6 (accession)
Summary
Materials about the Seattle Space Needle, including photographs documenting its construction, collected by Alfred Fast, Project Architect
Repository
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Languages
English.
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Biographical Note

Alfred H. Fast (1917-2004), working for the architectural firm John Graham & Company, was the Project Architect for the Seattle World's Fair Space Needle. Fast graduated from the School of Architecture at the University of Vienna in 1938, and served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers on the Pacific front in World War II. While with John Graham & Company, Fast also worked on shopping mall projects in Washington and Oregon, including the Bon Marche, Alderwood Mall and Medford Shopping Mall. Fast also worked for Pietro Belluschi in Portland, Oregon, Victor Gruen Associates in Los Angeles, and WESTCOR in Phoenix, Arizona.

Alfred Fast was married to Ruth Fast of Seattle. The couple had two children, Daniel Fast of Los Angeles and Josey Fast of Seattle.

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Content Description

The collection consists largely of photographs which document the construction of the Space Needle, from ground-breaking to completion. A series of photographs from Pacific Car and Foundry Company largely documents the fabrication and erection of the steel work, and a series by Roger Dudley for John Graham Architects includes several images documenting construction of the restaurant. Other photographs depict the completed Space Needle as part of the World's Fair grounds. Other materials include promotional publications describing the conception and construction of the Space Needle.

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Historical Background

The architecture of the 605 feet tall Space Needle, built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair (Century 21 Exposition), was the result of a collaboration between businessman Edward E. Carlson and architect John Graham. Inspired by a visit to the Stuttgart Tower in Germany, Carlson's space-age vision for the Fair's central structure included a tower resembling a tethered balloon surrounded by cables; the top of the structure would house a restaurant. Graham turned the balloon into a flying-saucer shape, and wanted the restaurant to revolve, like the one in a tower he had previously designed for the Ala Moana shopping center in Hawaii. A dozen architects in Graham's firm worked on sketches and ideas, and University of Washington architecture professor Victor Steinbrueck provided the hour-glass shape of the tower. The final compromise was reached just a year and a half before the fair was to open. John Graham, contractor Howard S. Wright and others formed the "Pentagon Corporation" to finance the project. Howard S. Wright Construction Company was the contractor for the Space Needle construction and the Pacific Car and Foundry Company (PACCAR) was the subcontractor for the steel fabrication and erection.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.

Restrictions on Use

The Museum of History amp; Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Alfred H. Fast Collection on the Space Needle, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

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Administrative Information

Location of Collection

2a.3.8

Acquisition Information

Gift of Josey Fast, Al Fast's daughter, January 24, 2005.

Processing Note

Processed in 2005 and 2009. The bulk of the construction photographs were arranged into 2 large series by photographer, and arranged in photographer number order (which is chronological).

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Architecture--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Building sites--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Building--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Space Needle (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Space Needle Restaurant
  • Towers--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Century 21 Exposition (1962 : Seattle, Wash.)

Geographical Names

  • United States--Washington (State)--Seattle

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Dudley, Roger (photographer)

    Corporate Names

    • Pacific Car and Foundry Company (Renton, Wash.) (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Jody Hendrickson
2009

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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