Did you know that it is national library week? I love reading books and although I love the book stores I enjoy going to the library, leaving with over 10 books having not spend a penny.
You may ask yourself what building is this? Well this is the Seattle Public library that was built in 2004. This 11 story building made out of steel and glass was designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince- Ramus. The library had over 2 million visitors in the first year, I am yet to visit and I lived in Seattle until 2006 and visit about once every two months. Hopefully I will make it next week when I go home for Easter.
Described by Robert Such the library is “ steel, glass, and aluminum diamond shaped grid, which, has an expanded aluminum mesh sandwiched between the glass panels. The mesh reduces heat and glare in areas catching more sunlight.”
The glass and the concrete column look fantastic together. The space is open and grand.
“The bright yellow escalators are useful as wayfinding markers in the voluminous interior. Less obvious are the similarly colored elevator interiors.”
“The highly saturated red curved corridors connecting the meeting rooms on level four are equally bright. Visually overpowering for some, the intensity of the red enhances the crisp coolness of the colors in the Living Room, viewed from behind a mesh wall on this level.”
Images via
The children’s play area
One of the 11 floors
The library provides free tours where you can find all kinds of fun facts about the library.Have you visited the Seattle Public Library? If so what did you like about it? What you didn’t like about it?
I would go there just to ride on those kickin' escalators...how rad is that color??? Oh yeah, and books are cool, too. (c: I'm not necessarily a modern style kind of gal, but this is pretty awesome!
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