May 20, 2004

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Nutrimentum Spiritus

That’s “food for the soul” — the inscription on Berlin’s Royal Library.

I’ve always loved libraries. I was impressed by LA’s Central Library last week, but whoah, it’s a rusty bookmobile next to this: the Seattle Central Library. It’s new. It’s amazing.

The link above is to a photo gallery; you can also read about the library at The Seattle Times’ website.

It was designed by Rem Koolhaas. (Here’s a PDF with images of his other work.) Check out this great description of its distinctive look:

“It looks like a dictionary opening up the mind to the windows of the world,” said a security guard at the Federal Courthouse.

As you may have heard, they found the Library of Alexandria… but really, who needs it? We’re doing fine in the temple-of-knowledge department.

(Photo by Benjamin Benschneider of The Seattle Times.)