Harbor Steps

"Harbor Steps," wc/ink on paper

One of the features of the waterfront in Seattle is the Harbor Steps, which connect the old Central Waterfront to downtown, high above. The area was once the hub of shipping activity in the city but decades ago a container ship area opened farther south and business here slowed. 

Now, the area at the bottom has been developed into an attractive tourist spot, with older piers becoming stores and restaurants. The steps connect to the downtown above (there are elevators too) and are actually part of a mixed-use development of shops, condos and public space. I sketched the steps rising into a man-made canyon, flanked by contemporary architecture, and footed by older buildings.