Product Description
Seattle Public Library’s dazzling new Central Library, designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, prompted international notice even before the doors opened to this $159 million showplace. Yet Seattle Public Library’s new prominence came after more than a century of tumult with many heroic struggles, from its itinerant existence in a pioneer boom town to its wired wonders in a world technology center. In Place of Learning, Place of Dreams John Douglas… More >>
Place of Learning, Place of Dreams: A History of the Seattle Public Library
Tags: boom town, Dreams, dutch architect, heroic struggles, History, Learning, Library, new central library, Place, prominence, Public, rem koolhaas, Seattle, seattle public library, showplace, tumult, world technology center
#1 by Rosebunting on May 7, 2010 - 4:31 pm
The Rem Koolhaus designed Seattle Public Library sounds good. And the pictures are beautiful. But as a user there are some major problems. An escalator that only goes up, abandoning users on the 10th floor. One can use some stairs down to the 6th floor, or merrily run around the spiral until you hit a wall on the 6th floor. Then you have to wait for an elevator to take you down to the 5th floor. Poor planning.
The waterless urinals reek. The water fountains have no water pressure and are lukewarm. The walls are black and the lighting dim in the fiction area. The self-checkouts only have room to stack one book to the side, or you can use two self-checkouts to have enough space. The signs are hidden.
Rating: 3 / 5