4 Libraries in Seattle Metropolitan

Authors: Rick Berliner, Misun Chung, Sharon Khosla, 
              Lisbeth Skindbjerg Kristensen, Mark McCarter,
              Ranmalie Ratnayake-Taggart, 
              Michael 'Meesh' Schubert,
              Masa Soeda, Jan Kunagangeamporn

School: University of Washington
Faculty Advisor: Professor Marietta Millet

The series of 4 building case studies presented here all concern libraries, particularly the issue of lighting and visual comfort in libraries. The success of libraries, which have traditionally been intended for the reading of books or other matter, depends largely on the setting, particularly the luminous environment, provided for that reading. Great libraries of the world are renowned for their daylighting, beautifully incorporated into the architectural form of the building. Examples are the Stockholm Public Library, the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, and the New York and Boston Public Libraries, to name a few.

4 libraries in the Seattle metropolitan area were selected for this study:

University of Washington Suzzallo Library, Graduate Reading Room
University of Washington Law Library in Condon Hall
Magnolia Public Library, Seattle Public Libraries
Bellevue Public Library, King County Libraries

Each library was selected because it is outstanding in some way, as you will see in perusing the case studies. Each library was lauded for its design at the time it was built. Each library incorporates daylighting into the architectural design in a conscious way. Yet there are some interesting comparisons and contrasts inherent in the selection. Two of the libraries serve the university community, while two of the libraries serve particular neighborhoods in the Seattle area. Three of the libraries were designed and built before computers became an essential part of libraries, and one (Bellevue) was built with computer use in mind. The two university libraries have specific reading rooms that were studied, while the community libraries have reading areas scattered throughout the building.

The time periods represented by the 4 libraries 1923 (Suzzallo), 1962 (Magnolia), 1972 (UW Law) and 1991 (Bellevue) represent different cultural and design approaches to the definition and construction of a library. In addition, major changes occurred concerning the provision of thermal and visual comfort in buildings between 1923 and 1962, pivoting around the time of World War II. These changes become apparent in the evaluation of the comfort of each library, how lighting and comfort were provided for in the original design, and how they are perceived now.