The Rainier Vista axis is a central component of the University of Washington’s historic campus layout. The Vista was first conceived by the Olmsted Brothers as the central axis for the Alaska Yukon Exposition in the early 1900s, framing a grand view of Mount Rainier. The Vista remains a signature feature for the University, linking the heart of the historic, collegiate-gothic campus with Drumheller Fountain and the famous view of "the Mountain." GGN's new design of Lower Rainier Vista extends, clarifies, and finally completes the Vista, reconnecting the isolated Montlake Triangle to the whole of the UW campus. The Lower Vista design subtly references collegiate-gothic forms and uses careful grading to frame views, integrate modern infrastructure, and provide new, ADA-compliant circulation for students, visitors, bikers, and regional commuters from the new Sound Transit station at Husky Stadium.
