A two-storey penthouse at Smith Tower, Seattle

 Seattle, Washington, USA

Architecture and Interior Design: Graham Baba Architects

Photography © Tim Van Asselt

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A unique two-storey pyramid-shaped penthouse located at the top of Smith Tower (142 metres high), built in 1914 in Seattle.

Originally housing the building’s water tank and converted into a makeshift apartment in the 70s, this latest conversion updates the space into a luxurious penthouse. The design opens up the floor plan so all spaces within the uniquely shaped volume can flow together.

The pyramidal second floor houses the primary living functions, a combination kitchen-dining-living area, topped by stairs and a catwalk to the lantern room, which features a glass and steel ball at the very top of the building. 

A rich yet simple material palette consists of stained oak wall panels, blackened steel guardrails and light switch towers, and warm grey quartz counters and tile. Flooring throughout was upgraded to stained engineered oak planks, with a moat of polished black pebbles filling in the irregular space between the new floor and the undulating perimeter of the existing structure.

See also: NYC Penthouse with views over Central Park by Banda