Residents eager to see new developments in the design of Seattle's new central library are invited to a presentation by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium. Seating in the 1,500-seat auditorium is on a first-come, first-served basis and everyone is welcome.
Joining Koolhaas will be Atila Zekioglu, Ove Arup & Partners (OAP) and Jon Magnusson, Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire (SWMB), who will discuss the structural engineering of the building. Stephen Jolly, OAP, will speak on the mechanical engineering.
Koolhaas, founder and principal of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in the Netherlands, was recently named the Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate for 2000 (www.pritzkerprize.com). The award is known throughout the world as architecture's highest honor, or the Nobel of architecture. Koolhaas considers the design for the Seattle Public Library one of the most important in his career.
OMA, in a joint venture with LMN Architects, was selected to design the $159 million library, scheduled to open on the existing library site at 1000 Fourth Ave. in 2003.
Nearly 1,000 people attended two events in December 1999 where Koolhaas described his early vision for library, which at 355,000 square feet will be about 72 percent larger than the existing library.
Following those events, 10 Library user groups, which ranged from non-English speaking patrons to seniors, as well as 37 different Library staff groups met and developed recommendations for OMA/LMN on specific design issues.
OMA/LMN, committed to understanding the needs of those who use and work in the library, have personally reviewed all comments and suggestions. Feedback from the public, Library Board and Library staff have been incorporated into this completed phase of work called "schematic design," which will be the focus of Koolhaas' presentation. The presentation will include slides, computer animations and a literary tour through the building.
At the end of schematic design, the architects have established the basic building layout and appearance and have completed preliminary design of the electrical, mechanical and structural systems. Design development begins June 1.
For comprehensive information on the central library project as well as the entire Libraries for All building program, visit the Library's Web site at: "Libraries for All Capital Projects."
For more information, call 206-386-4624.
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Content modified: 28 April 2000
12/30/2005
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