On a recent trip to Seattle for a client meeting, Kathleen and Basak had a chance to look at three major architectural pieces. Here Basak shares some of her pictures and her thoughts: “On our first night, we walked by the Public Library by Rem Koolhaas on our way to dinner. It is hard not to notice this monumental building, almost like a giant mesh sculpture, trying to fit into one of the city blocks. It is loud, and it gets louder as we walk in - greeted by bold neon yellow and then red. The mesh skin in the form of sculptural curtain wall starts to make more sense as it interacts with the interior elements and creates three dimensional volumes within the building. The idea of reinventing the library finds its form in this building. At At the top floor, the highest southernmost point, I wanted to take that famous photo of the floor I had seen so many times in magazines. But looking down triggers my vertigo and Kathleen takes the photo for me.

“On the second day, in between our site meetings, we find ourselves walking by Seattle University. Ron suggests we stop by the Chapel of St Ignatius by Steven Holl on the campus. As I entered the space, I was stunned by the amazing play of light. I had read about the concept of “Seven bottles of light in a stone box - different volumes aiming at different qualities of light: East facing, South facing, West and North facing”. Now I can see it. What an appropriate building for a church! What an appropriate building for a church! It looks so effortless, yet powerful and peaceful simultaneously. Every corner reflects a well thought detail.

“That evening we ran to the Olympic sculpture park by Weiss Manfredi to see it before the sun went down. I could not think of a better opening piece than the giant cor-ten sculptures of Serra. We walked through. The giant red wings must be Calder. As the sun begins to sink in the sky, I think, what a theatrical background for these amazing art pieces. Later I read that the rotating “&” sign that I loved so much is “&” of the piece called “Love & Loss" by Roy McMakin. It gets dark as we leave and I feel moved and serene at the same time."

Images:
1-4 Olympic State Park by Weiss Manfredi
5-9 Public Library by Rem Koolhaas
10-14 Chapel of St. Ignatius by Steven Holl