I recently visited Koolhaas's new library in July and am on my way back to seattle to see it again this weekend. My first impression was a good one. However, I don't like to pass judgement on projects I've only seen once. (don't judge a book by it's cover and all that 1st grade bullshit) I was wondering if anyone had thoughts or impressions of their own, from visits, photos, or readings. Perhaps details or points of interest worth further investigation.
It seems like a lot of people like to shit on Gehry. What's the consensus on Rem?
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not that anyone cares what i think, but i visited both the koolhaas SPL and aalto's mount angel library outside of portland this year and found that i much preferred aalto's. rem's building is fun in an expo/see what i did sort of way, but aalto's is a fucking library.
I just visited the library for the second time yesterday. I also visited Holl's chapel of st. ignatius for the second time. Holl's chapel is timeless and no more on that for now. The library interested me in the beginning of the summer because of the approach to design and later because Seattle trusted him enough to build it. After the second visit, I have mixed views still. I felt anxiety upon my first visit because of the vistas and cantilevered edges where you can look down. The red floor is interesting as well. I don't know the purpose of the colors for circulation etc. besides the fact that it's "cool". The library however brings a fresh face to that area of Seattle. When I was there, there was a fire alarm as I drove up and I saw so many differet people outside and so many cultures that it made me think about the volume of worldviews, cultures, etc. in every building. Also, walking around shooting pictures and such, I heard many people whom I could tell were not architectural visitors talking about the building and how exciting it was. This included a large amount of the homeless. I think that avante gardism and forward thinking buildings when done correctly and for a purpose or if a purpose is achieved, are amzing. Just by sparking interest or joy in someone's life while serving them correctly, architecture in this case has become more than just an oddly shaped fragment of a city's fabric.
Sep 6, 04 8:03 pm ·
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Thoughts on new Seattle Library?
I recently visited Koolhaas's new library in July and am on my way back to seattle to see it again this weekend. My first impression was a good one. However, I don't like to pass judgement on projects I've only seen once. (don't judge a book by it's cover and all that 1st grade bullshit) I was wondering if anyone had thoughts or impressions of their own, from visits, photos, or readings. Perhaps details or points of interest worth further investigation.
It seems like a lot of people like to shit on Gehry. What's the consensus on Rem?
1
Architecture from the eyes of non-architects
Navigating the blogosphere I found plenty of views and impressions on recent architectural...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P4699_0_24_0_C
2
New View - Review of the Seattle Public Libary
Seattle resident Mike La Fon contributes a new View on the new Rem Koolhaas-designed Seattle Public...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P4589_0_24_0_C
3
Review of the Seattle Public Libary
Five-and-a-half years ago, Seattle voters approved a $200 million bond to update and improve the...
http://www.archinect.com/views/view.php?id=P4579_0_36_0_C
4
The writing of the walls: Architecture as propaganda
From the IHT
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P4100_0_24_0_C
5
Mixing with the Kool Crowd
Have architecture critics forgotten how to judge public spaces? PPS presents a plan to remind...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P4019_0_24_0_C
6
More to Central Library than its cover
one more: working out the glitches at the Seattle Public...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P3784_0_24_0_C
7
Seattle Public Library Photos
A growing number of Seattle Public Library photos have been uploaded by our members - take a...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P1996_0_24_0_C
8
Rem's Library - No Way Out
Now that the excitement over the opening has settled, patrons are actually using Seattle's new...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P1940_0_24_0_C
9
Seattle Public Library Images
R. Ruiz has uploaded some shots of Seattle's new public library to the Image Gallery - check the...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P1623_0_24_0_C
10
New public library in Seattle
Anyone been visiting the new library yet? I think it looks amazing, but since I live in sweden its...
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=P1528_0_22_0_C
11
SPL Opening
The Seattle Public Library opening event picture gallery....
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P1526_0_24_0_C
12
Seattle Public Library
OMA/Koolhaas' Seattle Public Library opens. Lots of diagrams, photos, text, 3d virtual...
http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=P810_0_24_0_C
13
Life Style
Each day, the average Western citizen sees, assimilates, and recognizes 16,000 logos. Chances are...
http://archinect.com/books/detail.php?id=P222_0_25_0_C
14
Frank Gehry, Architect
Ragheb's catalog for the first large-scale exhibit of Gehry's work in 15 years includes essays by...
http://archinect.com/books/detail.php?id=P187_0_25_0_C
15
OMA@work 1972-2000
Founded by Rem Koolhaas in the 1970s OMA is today one of the leading architectural firms in the...
http://archinect.com/books/detail.php?id=P170_0_25_0_C
You can search specific sections on Archinect from the appropriate section or you can search the entire site using the form in the "about archinect" section.
not that anyone cares what i think, but i visited both the koolhaas SPL and aalto's mount angel library outside of portland this year and found that i much preferred aalto's. rem's building is fun in an expo/see what i did sort of way, but aalto's is a fucking library.
crazy willy - you turn me on when you sing aalto!
I just visited the library for the second time yesterday. I also visited Holl's chapel of st. ignatius for the second time. Holl's chapel is timeless and no more on that for now. The library interested me in the beginning of the summer because of the approach to design and later because Seattle trusted him enough to build it. After the second visit, I have mixed views still. I felt anxiety upon my first visit because of the vistas and cantilevered edges where you can look down. The red floor is interesting as well. I don't know the purpose of the colors for circulation etc. besides the fact that it's "cool". The library however brings a fresh face to that area of Seattle. When I was there, there was a fire alarm as I drove up and I saw so many differet people outside and so many cultures that it made me think about the volume of worldviews, cultures, etc. in every building. Also, walking around shooting pictures and such, I heard many people whom I could tell were not architectural visitors talking about the building and how exciting it was. This included a large amount of the homeless. I think that avante gardism and forward thinking buildings when done correctly and for a purpose or if a purpose is achieved, are amzing. Just by sparking interest or joy in someone's life while serving them correctly, architecture in this case has become more than just an oddly shaped fragment of a city's fabric.
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