The octagonal stone building was designed by Edgar M. Lazarus in the style of Art Nouveau, and completed in 1918 after nearly two years of construction.

[7] The original idea for an observatory at the site came from Samuel Lancaster, the consulting engineer for the Columbia River Highway.

The Vista House Association, composed of 52 prominent Portland business and civic leaders, was established to raise money for the project.

[9] Funding subscriptions failed to raise sufficient money, and most of the cost of construction was paid by Multnomah County.

[8] Lazarus' design incorporates elements of the Jugendstil, the German interpretation of Art Nouveau which had been popular in Europe in the late 19th century up to 1910.

The building is essentially a domed rotunda 44 feet (13 m) in diameter with an octagonal[9] plan on a 64-foot-diameter (20 m) base which houses toilets and a gift shop.

[8] Vista House is a major contributing structure in the Columbia River Highway National Historic Landmark.