Seattle's best architecture: More than the Space Needle

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(CNN) — Seattle is a city on the edge. So much of Seattle's recent history is about pushing boundaries, from music to art to technology.

When award-winning architect Tom Kundig first visited in 1962, it was for the Seattle World's Fair. "That was a pretty special moment for Seattle. And even as a kid, you sort of recognize that this was a pretty fantastic place."

As a principal and owner of Olson Kundig, a design practice based in Seattle's historical Pioneer Square district, Kundig's 30 years as an architect have earned him renown in the United States and abroad as well as recognition in the forms of architectural awards, book and film projects, professorships and more. His buildings meld the mechanical with the natural, reflecting Seattle's position as an urban center in the midst of majestic natural beauty, from Puget Sound to Mount Rainier.

Born in Merced, California, in 1954 to Swiss parents, Kundig possesses a preternatural sense of adventure. Raised in Spokane, in the eastern part of Washington, Kundig attended college at the University of Washington in the mid-1970s. He moved around, spending time in the Swiss Alps and later, Alaska.

"I did my master's thesis in the Swiss Alps. With my mountain climbing and mountain skiing background, it was a pretty natural place. And then we moved up to Alaska for very much the same reasons."

Olson Kundig's latest renovation project is tied to one of Seattle's most recognizable icons: The Space Needle. Kundig's business parter, Alan Maskin, is leading that project.

"The original idea, of course, is you're in this unbelievable rotating saucer," Kundig says. With the renovation, Kundig speaks passionately about preservation and invisibility. "You're keeping the magic, keeping the spirit of the original idea and upgrading those things that need to be upgraded."

Kundig continues to work with clients all over the world, so he travels constantly. "I'm always reminded when I fly back into Seattle what a beautiful place and a lucky place I live."

He shares his favorite local spots (including a few of his own design) to contextualize an evolving urban and natural landscape:

The Space Needle (2.0)

Seattle's iconic Space Needle is getting a $100 million facelift.

Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle is Seattle's most recognizable landmark. Fifty-five years later, with the original architect's blessing, the futuristic structure is getting an even more futuristic facelift, under the guidance of Olson Kundig.

The existing exterior caging on the observation deck will be replaced with a full glass facade, and the floor of the rotating restaurant will also become glass. The $100 million renovation will likely take years, but it will be done in stages, so it will not be shut down outright. The restaurant has already been closed, and will reopen sometime in 2018.

Olympic Sculpture Park

Alexander Calder's "Eagle" is one of the Olympic Sculpture Park's most eye-catching works.

Operated by the Seattle Art Museum, the...

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