nullum quod tetigit non ornavit [translation]

Okay, I admit it. The Stranger is too smart for me. I certainly enjoyed the recent feature which accurately detailed the unsafe design of the new downtown library, and I even picked up on the satirical tone of the article. But I totally missed out on the connection between the engineering organization that worked on the new library building (Arup and Magnusson Klemencic Associates, according to this article), and the engineer Jon Magnusson who was lambasting the safety features of the Seattle monorail a few weeks ago.

Even worse, I had this pointed out to me via J, who lives in Southern California's Inland Empire. So yeah, I'm out of touch, what can I say?

The Stranger is totally spot-on about the new library, though. I visited it briefly this past week to see what all the fuss is about, and the place does feel like a horrible death trap at all points where one tries to move throughout the building. The escalators drag you through claustrophobia-inducing passageways, the see-through railings near the elevators feel like they're going to give way at any moment, and the open feeling of all the glass walls inspries an agoraphobia that I don't even feel when wandering around downtown outside.

It sure is pretty, though.

Last updated by eric Fri Jun 11 10:59 2004 | omission | link