Don’t get us wrong, we love the Seattle Library and everything it’s done for reading, spiral Dewey decimal systems, and librarian action figures. It’s just that so much attention has been paid to it and its Dutch author in the last several years that some very handsome work has been overlooked in town. We’ve rounded up images of eight hot Seattle branch libraries scattered around the city. These libraries appeal to us because they each have a successful design concept, are good examples of regional modernism, and have been well executed. Each of these libraries creates a sense of place and has been designed by a local architect – not that we have anything against the Netherlandian architects. By the way Amsterdam, just let us know when you’ll be awarding that enormous civic project to a Seattle based firm – our schedules free up a bit this spring…
Montlake Branch, 2401 24th Ave. E., Weinstein A|U
Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W., Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E., Johnston Architects & Cutler Anderson Architects
Central District (Douglass-Truth Branch), 2300 E. Yesler Way, Schacht Aslani Architects
Thanks to the hard-working folks at Architechnophilia who covered this one back in October
Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave. S., Carlson Architects P.S.
Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N., Miller Hayashi Architects
Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., Buffalo Design
Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E., The Miller Hull Partnership
