The Seattle Public Library board of trustees unanimously voted at its Feb. 25 meeting to enhance the appearance and performance of the exterior "skin" of the new Central Library.
The curtainwall, which consists of insulated glass panels that enclose an aluminum mesh layer, will screen the sun, create soft interior light to enhance reading areas and protect against heat and glare.
"This is an incredible advancement for this building," said Linda Larson, Library Board president. "It's a significant architectural enhancement."
The decision to enhance the design will increase the budget of the new Central Library by $4.33 million to a total of $165.5 million. The entire increase comes from private funds.
The 362,987-square-foot Central Library, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas in a joint venture with Seattle-based LMN Architects, is scheduled to open in late 2003 at 1000 Fourth Ave.
Voters approved the new library as part of the $196.4 million "Libraries for All" bond measure passed in 1998. In addition to the new central library, the plan also calls for improving or replacing all 22 branch libraries and building five new branches.
For more information about "Libraries for All" or the Seattle Public Library Foundation, visit the Library's Web site at www.spl.org.
(For more information, call Caroline Young Ullmann, communications assistant, at 206-615-1627.)
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Content modified: 29 May 2002
12/30/2005
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