May 4, 2000
A throng of about 1,200 people packed into Benaroya Hall Wednesday afternoon to hear architect Rem Koolhaas offer an update on the design of the Seattle’s new $159 million Central Library.
Photo by Annu Mangat |
There is little discernible change from the preliminary design unveiled in December, when an overflow crowd attended the first public presentation of the radical design. Aspects of the design, such as the interior configuration, landscaping and the specific slope of floors, are now being fine-tuned.
Koolhaas, the recent winner of the Pritzker Prize of architecture, reminded the audience that libraries must evolve both in terms of expanding their function and embracing new technology if they are to survive.
Unflattering descriptions of the unusual structure have abounded in the media and, in some cases, among Seattle residents. But, Koolhaas, who radiates intensity and serenity at the same time, is unfazed. “We really like criticism,” he said. “Architecture is born in confrontation.”
When asked about the infamous Seattle process, Koolhaas said that he’s “never been involved in such an elaborate system where so many voices are raised.”
Engineers from Seattle-based Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire and international engineering giant Ove Arup offered a brief overview of the mechanical and structural elements of the building. The most visible design feature of the building, its steel tubing, also provides the building’s structural support, which has given many in the design community pause. The message from Jon Magnusson, principal of SWMB, to the skeptics: “Yes, it will stand up.” Structural engineer for the curvilinear Experience Music Project, SWMB is no stranger to challenging projects.
|
"We really like criticism. Architecture is born in confrontation.”
- Rem Koolhaas |
Stephen Jolly, mechanical engineer with Ove Arup, said despite being surrounded by larger buildings, the new Central Library will get a lot of sun exposure. To mitigate the effects of heat and light, the inside and outside glass panes used in the building will be double-insulated with a special solar coating. He said the engineering team is developing a unique laminate to coat parts of the metal that will be most subject to high temperatures.
The building, in keeping with the city’s sustainable design goals, will use free cooling and a rainwater reclamation system.
The radical design, whether it’s adored or despised, is certain to put Seattle on the design world's map. The angular building appears transparent, clad in two layers of glass, which are supported by a lattice-like system of steel tubing encased in copper-colored mesh.
Photo courtesy OMA/LMN |
The general form of the building is a marked departure from the typical symmetrically stacked high rise. It features 15 floors that span five main “platforms,” or levels that are designated for primary library functions. Between these are areas that appear to float. These in-between spaces will house public uses, such as a children’s room and a socially interactive space, termed the “living room.”
Design development of the new library begins June 1.
At 355,000 square feet, the new library will be about 72 percent larger than the existing library. It will also house more than 1.4 million books; the existing library has room for less than 800,000.
Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2001 and end in 2003. The construction cost is $90 million. The new library will be built on the site of the existing facility at 1000 Fourth Ave.
The Seattle Public Library last year selected Koolhaas from a pool of 29 local, national and international architects. The finalists were Steven Holl Architects of New York, and Zimmer Gunsul Frasca of Seattle and Portland.
The project is funded by a $196.4 million bond measure approved in 1998 by Seattle voters to renovate and expand its entire library system.
Koolhaas joins the roster of high-profile architects now shaping the Puget Sound’s urban landscape — including Frank Gehry for the Experience Music Project, Peter Bohlin for Seattle’s new City Hall, Terry Farrell & Partners for the new aquarium on the city’s waterfront, Antoine Predock for the Tacoma Art Museum, and Stephen Holl for the Bellevue Art Museum.
