Old School

When I was at the Seattle Public Library (a.k.a Central Library) and reading Tom Wolfe's From Bauhaus to Our House a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't help but think of the architectural style of the building. I like the SPL: it's 10 stories tall, has a big collection, and is of course architecturally... intriguing. I think that was my initial reaction when I first saw it. It's very modern, colorful and gray, and definitely industrial. It was designed by Rem Koolhaas.

Now, here's the interesting part. After spending some time in the reading room of the library, I realized the following: it's not as pleasing to spend time there as in the reading rooms of some of the other libraries I've been to that were build in the late 1800s or early 1900s. The New York Public Library comes to mind and is the best example of what I call "old school" architecture: masonry or brick buildings, tall ceilings, and lots of wood on the inside. They don't necessarily have to be in the Beaux Arts style to be to my liking - - brownstones are probably my favorite buildings.

What's in common with these older buildings is that they're physiologically more pleasant to spend time in -- when I look around, I get a feeling of grandiosity, master craftsmanship, sturdiness, and knowledge, especially when surrounded by wooden furniture and books. As to why I prefer these older architectural styles, I think it's a matter of preference, but as Tom Wolfe pointed out, many people hated buildings built on the Bauhaus legacy, yet their construction continued. I believe that steel is just one of those materials that the human brain doesn't like very much perhaps especially when combined with very geometric shapes. Wood, on the other hand is part of nature and I think that we have a genetic predisposition to "liking" wood. As for the Beaux Arts style, there's more artistry and less rigidness, which again provoke a positive response in the brain.

Now, I don't think that the Seattle Public Library is ugly. It actually looks cool from the outside and the inside. It feels cool to surf the Web on a laptop via Wi-Fi. I don't think I'd get that feeling in the New York Public Library (I haven't tried it). As for sitting and reading, you can't beat the old school.