HistoryLink Tours

Just up the hill and a short block north of the cathedral is the Chancery, the office of the diocese. Seattle architect Paul Thiry was excited about bringing new, modernist architectural ideas developing in Europe to the Pacific Northwest. In the mid-1930s, just beginning his own practice, he designed houses for himself and other clients in the modern style. The new designs drew mixed reviews from a city used to more conservative revival style architecture.

This small office building is clad in Wilkeson sandstone, revealing just a hint of ornament in its subtle incised floral panels. Originally a single-story building with a central pyramidal volume flanked by two office wings, Thiry refused an offer to design the addition shown here (completed by Ralph Lund and John Maloney in 1963), complaining that the church would “not have to expand if it would concentrate on its mission and forget about all the social programs they were getting into.” He would not receive any more commissions from the Seattle Archdiocese.

In the vicinity:

FRYE ART MUSEUM. Thiry was later hired by the Frye estate to design a museum several blocks south on Terry Avenue at Cherry Street. The museum houses the art collection of Charles and Emma Frye. Frye stipulated that the museum should be free, illuminated with natural light, and that no abstract art would be displayed. It was extensively remodeled by the firm Olson Sundberg (now Olson Kundig) in 1997.

Two blocks west of the Frye at the northeast corner of 8th Avenue and Columbia Street is the former location of the PAUL THIRY OFFICE BUILDING, a modernist gem where Thiry practiced architecture for his entire career. In its place will soon be another residential tower.