1200 Fifth

{{Short description|Building in Seattle, Washington, USA}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox building

| name = 1200 Fifth

| image = IBM Tower 3.JPG

| image_size = 250px

| caption =

| former_name = IBM Building

| location = 1200 Fifth Avenue
Seattle, Washington, 98101

| coordinates = {{coord|47.608398|-122.332935|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

| map_type = Seattle WA Downtown

| map_caption = Location within downtown Seattle

| start_date = May 1963

| completion_date = October 1964

| building_type = Commercial offices

| antenna_spire =

| roof = {{convert|84.13|m|abbr=on}}

| top_floor =

| floor_count = 20

| elevator_count =

| cost =

| floor_area = {{convert|225000|sqft|abbr=on}}

| architect = Minoru Yamasaki
NBBJ

| structural_engineer= Magnusson Klemencic Associates

| main_contractor = Howard S. Wright Companies

| developer =

| owner = Unico Properties

| management =

| references = {{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119482 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307025746/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119482 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 119482 |work=Emporis}}{{SkyscraperPage|5519}}{{Structurae|20038732}}

}}

1200 Fifth, formerly the IBM Building, is a 20-story office building in the Metropolitan Tract, part of downtown Seattle, Washington, United States.{{cite web| url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/ibm-building/19708| title=IBM Building| website=The Skyscraper Center| access-date=June 12, 2017}} The building was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who also was architect of Rainier Tower on the corner diagonally opposite, and the World Trade Center in New York City.{{cite book| first=Sally B.| last=Woodridge| author2=Roger Montgomery| year=1980| title=A Guide to Architecture in Washington State| publisher=University of Washington Press| isbn=978-0-2959-5779-1| page=128}} Construction on the building began in May 1963 and it was completed in October 1964.{{cite news |date=May 11, 1963 |title=Construction To Begin On IBM Building |page=11 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |last=Staples |first=Alice |date=November 8, 1964 |title=Construction Industry Honors Structure From Ivy-Covered To IBM |page=22 |newspaper=The Seattle Times}}

Nard Jones wrote in 1972 that "There is an architectural poetry about [the building] that is at variance with the endless jibes at computerization and the alleged sober pragmatism of IBM personnel."{{cite book| first=Nard| last=Jones| author-link=Nard Jones| year=1972| title=Seattle| publisher=Doubleday| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yvgUAAAAYAAJ&q=ibm| isbn=978-0-3850-1875-3| page=9| access-date=January 23, 2021}} The building's crown has a series of 191 "fins" that measure {{convert|23|ft|m}} tall and surround the machinery floors.{{cite news |date=June 11, 1964 |title=Crown Fin for IBM Building |page=21 |work=The Seattle Times}}

The corner of the complex at 5th Avenue and University Street was the site of the Seattle Ice Arena from 1915 to 1963.