signage- an extra thought

Placing signs in a right way and right place are important. One can spent 20 mins looking for directions and information while the others only take 5 if the signage were designed well. A provocative and complex (in some way) space like seattle central library, good and useful signs are necessary for users and librarian finding what they need efficiently. I thank to the designers have extra thoughts for signages, not only the beautiful clear way they placed the signs, but also the correct eye level for all heights.  Of course, spending few seconds wondering in the space is always fun and enjoyable. 

好的標識設計往往會融入在建築空間裡，讓使用者在不知覺的狀況下被指引，而不需要刻意的尋找。西雅圖中
央圖書館交錯混合的空間裡，適當且適位的標識則讓使用者有效率的使用空間。 明亮的顏色、清楚的文字、眼睛的高度加上有趣的編排設計讓標識在建築裡有著畫龍點睛的效果。當然，有時花個幾秒鐘迷失在空間裡也是件有趣且令人興奮的事呢!

Diamonds in the Rough

Not only as a symbol of peace, this park is also a well-known project supported by Neighborhood Matching Fund. As Jim Diers has ever shared this wonderful case in his Neighbor Power, here I would like to quote a short paragraph from the book:

Diamonds in the Rough

Floyd Schmoe, a lifelong naturalist and peace activist, worked as a ranger on Mount Rainier and a volunteer in the reconstruction of Hiroshima. At the age of 95, Schmoe decided to combine his passions by building a “peace park” across the street from the University Friends meeting hall.The site he selected was a strip of Transportation Department property between 40th Street and the Burke-Gilman Trail below. Overgrown with brambles and littered with trash, it was one of many Transportation Department properties that was not maintained because it served notransportation purpose.

the paper crane at peace park

We walked by the peace park, located at the corner of 40th street and Roosevelt, and saw the statue of a little girl with all the newly folded paper crane hanging on her.  And we knew it's the prayer for the Japan earthquake and tsunami happened a month ago.  66 years apart, different disaster and with same fear of nuclear power, haven't we learned enough from the consequence?

The paper crane on Sadako Sasaki were colorful and filled with hope, and all we need now is really the "hope" that we human learn from the damage we've made to the earth.

廣島核武受害者Sadako Sasaki的銅像上掛滿了彩色的祝福紙鶴，從西雅圖遙遠的祝福三月受災的日本。 66年前核武帶給廣島不勘的記憶，66年後核能造成了福島無盡的恐懼。代表希望的紙鶴，此時只能真的希望人類能從經驗裡學習讓環境能稍稍喘息。

seattle central library revisit

When you love the content much more than the building itself, i think the design is successful; When you enjoy sitting at the corner than watching the overview of the building, i think the architecture is done well;  When you can see all kinds of people walking freely and using with manners, i think the program is managed properly.

And I think Koolhaas not just did a cool house. It's cool to have a library house like that.

藉著辦理圖書證再次造訪西雅圖中央圖書館，坐在中庭用電腦也好，站在書架旁翻閱雜誌也好，有種意外的自在。我想一個好設計是能讓人愛這空間所呈現出來的內容物多過於建築的外觀; 我想一個好建築是會讓人更喜愛坐在角落過於看整個樣式; 我想一個好的使用空間是會看到各式各樣的人以有秩序的方式使用。

Koolhaas 以製造嚴肅可預期的空間交錯混合著不可預期之概念設計一個適合大眾使用的圖書館，我想使用者能體會。