Tuesday, May 25, 2004
New Seattle Library continued
Yesterday I went back to the new library building just to be certain that my rather negative analysis of it was on the mark. While there, I realized that I had not been negative enough. I admit to having a touch of claustrophobia, and I find the book ramp a most unpleasant place to spend any time. Moreover, I intensely dislike elevators, especially for short ascents or descents. It is possible to reach the top of the building from the entrance areas via stairway and/or escalator. So far so good. And one can descend from the top floor reading room via the book stack ramps or a fairly well-located stairway to within a floor of the bizarrely named and even more bizarrely organized "mixing chamber." To get down to that space from the lower end of the book stack ramp, (or to descend to the book check-out facilities and the exits several floors lower), one must either take an elevator or else find a hidden stairway, one marked "emergency use only," to descend one level. From there stairs and escalators can be used to continue down to the exits. Yesterday, as the library was still holding its opening celebration, it was possible to find the stair because a volunteer was stationed close to the elevators, and the doorway to the stairs was open. I doubt the library can afford an employee just for that purpose once it is in normal operation. This peculiar circulation pattern (not too different from the circulation pattern in the Seattle Art Museum so disliked by Muschamp)strikes me as both unpleasant and more importantly unsafe.
Indeed, the whole safety issue and the problem of evacuating the building in an earthquake, fire or other emergency is bothersome. The structural integrity of the building is a scary issue. I am not an engineer, but I do know that books are heavy and a cube, apparently suspecned in midair, containing stacks capable of holding a million and a half items, presents a major engineering problem. I wish I believed it was effectively solved, but the collapse of the new terminal at CDG the other day suggests that audacious architecture, and risky engineering to bring it off, can present serious dangers. How safe is the new library in earthquake prone Seattle? And should a large earthquake occur or a fire break out, how difficult will evacuation prove? How difficult will it be to evacuate the building when an all but inevitable terrorism threat occurs or, worse, an act of terrorism occurs within the building?
Indeed, the whole safety issue and the problem of evacuating the building in an earthquake, fire or other emergency is bothersome. The structural integrity of the building is a scary issue. I am not an engineer, but I do know that books are heavy and a cube, apparently suspecned in midair, containing stacks capable of holding a million and a half items, presents a major engineering problem. I wish I believed it was effectively solved, but the collapse of the new terminal at CDG the other day suggests that audacious architecture, and risky engineering to bring it off, can present serious dangers. How safe is the new library in earthquake prone Seattle? And should a large earthquake occur or a fire break out, how difficult will evacuation prove? How difficult will it be to evacuate the building when an all but inevitable terrorism threat occurs or, worse, an act of terrorism occurs within the building?
