Seattle’s Waterfront Park transformation took another step closer to completion last week with the opening of Overlook Walk, a new elevated park for the waterfront designed by Field Operations. The new walkway creates a “new pedestrian destination and journey between the city and waterfront,” linking the historic Pike Place Market with the Seattle Aquarium, Pier 62, Waterfront Park, and Elliott Bay.

The walkway is located in the footprint of the former Alaskan Way Viaduct, which was demolished to improve access to the waterfront. Sitting between Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, Overlook Walk bridges a nearly 100 vertical foot gap between the market and waterfront, featuring 360-degree views of downtown Seattle, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains on the western horizon, and Mount Rainier to the south.

The design also envelops the new Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion designed by LMN Architects, creating a rooftop garden with views of the city and waterfront. Meanwhile, the Salish Steps descend to provide a sheltered amphitheater looking out across to Pier 62 and Elliott Bay to accommodate events and performances.

“This transformation of Seattle's entire central waterfront cannot be underestimated in terms of its scale, scope, and ambition,” Field Operations founding partner James Corner said about the scheme. “It is a truly extraordinary, world-class achievement and Overlook Walk is the key lynchpin and icon of the whole project.” 

“It effectively connects Pike Place Market to the Waterfront, while also providing amazing, elevated views out across Elliott Bay. It creates a dramatic new urban walk through an extraordinary variety of experiences, culminating in the rooftop garden on the Aquarium and the Salish Steps looking west across the Bay to the sunset,” Corner added. “It has been a great honor and privilege for us to work with the City of Seattle and all the partners along the waterfront since we began this journey together in 2010.”