The New Seattle Lib(e)

Everyone makes jokes about Rem Koolhaas’ name, so I thought I’d keep the title of this post simple. This is the first time I had actually been in one of the Dutch architect’s buildings and I was blown away. The pictures do not even remotely do it justice. As you can see, I loved his use of color. Who knows if we will even go to the library in our online future, but I have spent so much of my life in the institutions, I don’t want to see them go. I am glad to see someone reconceive it, even if the ubiquity of computers makes you think you’ve awakened in Capek’s RUR.

UPDATE: Of course, I will admit that old fashioned libraries, like this one in Prague may be yet more amazing.