Seattle has grown steadily over the last century like a huge concrete playground in a vast forest. Ever-conscious of the surrounding landscape, the city has found its own ways to embrace progress while respecting its history. In a city known more for its Space Needle than its skyline, here are some buildings that will knock your Birkenstocks off.
Not only does the Seattle Library design look rad, but it’s also practical. The 9,994 pieces of exterior glass are intended to pique the curiosity of passersby, but they’re also designed to use natural light more or less depending on a room’s purpose. The landscaping outside is irrigated as often as possible by an onsite 38,500 gallon rainwater collection tank. Designed to outperform Seattle’s energy code by 10%, the Seattle Library earned a LEED Silver rating. All this added to the over one million books to complement the 400 public computers and free wireless access: this library is ready to press forward with the rest of the world.
Last, but certainly not least, is the house of the most impressive Ms. Edith Macefield. Unwilling to move out of her over one-hundred-year-old house to make way for a commercial development, even when offered generous compensation, the plans were developed around her house instead. Some believe her story inspired the movie Up.
1438 NW 46th St, Seattle, WA, USA