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The Seattle Central Library is an 11-story glass and steel building in downtown Seattle, Washington. Rem Koolhaas was the principal architect. The 362,987 square foot (34,000 m²) public library can hold about 1.45 million books and other materials, features underground public parking for 143 vehicles, and is expected to draw about 8,000 visitors each day. It is the third Seattle Central Library building to be located on the same site at 1000 Fourth Avenue, the block bounded by Fourth and Fifth Avenues and Madison and Spring Streets.

Just 56 meters (185 ft) high, the Seattle Central Library is remarkable for its architecture rather than its height. (To compare, the Bank of America Tower, Seattle's tallest building, is 285 meters (937 ft), and the iconic Space Needle is 184 meters (605 ft) tall.) The library has a unique, striking appearance, consisting of several discrete "floating platforms" seemingly wrapped in a large steel net around glass skin. Herbert Muschamp, an architecture critic for The New York TimesThe New York Times is an internationally influential daily newspaper published in New York City, New York, and distributed worldwide. Overview Nicknamed "The Gray Lady" or The Times the newspaper was founded as The New-York Daily Times in 1851 by Henry J., described it as "a blazing chandelier to swing your dreams upon" and a " big rock candy mountainBig Rock Candy Mountain is a song about a hobo's idea of paradise. It was first recorded in 1928 by Harry McClintock, also known as Haywire Mac. It is probably best remembered for its recording by Burl Ives in the 1940s, but it has been recorded by many a of a building."

The Seattle Central Library opened to the public on Sunday, May 23May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). There are 222 days remaining. Events 1430 Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiegne 1498 Girolamo Savonarola is executed on th, 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co. Architectural tours of the building began on June 5June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. Events 1700-1899 1783 The Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrate their montgolfiere ( hot air balloon). 1817 First Great Lakes steamer, the Fr.

1 Planning the new library

Funding for the new Seattle Central Library building, as well as other construction projects throughout the library system, was provided by a $196.4 million bond measureMunicipal bonds or munis in the United States are debt securities issued by municipal government agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds include cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, school districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and a, called "Libraries for All," approved by Seattle voters on November 3November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. Events 1755 The colony of Massachusetts offers a bounty of 20 British pounds for the scalps of native american boys and girls under the age of, 19981998 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Ocean''. Events January January 1998 A massive ice storm, caused by El Nino, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting.

Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Ramus of the Dutch firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), working in conjunction with the Seattle firm LMN Architects , served as the building's principal architects. Ramus served as the partner in charge. Ironically, OMA was not one of the firms invited to compete for the project. Ramus, formerly a Seattle resident, found out from his mother one day in advance that the library board was inviting interested firms to attend a mandatory public meeting. He attended, flying in from the Netherlands, and OMA ended up winning the project. Deborah Jacobs , Chief Librarian in the Seattle Public Library system, spearheaded the project from the library's perspective and served as the primary client voice, while Betty Jane Narver served as president of the Library Board.

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