The architectural competition for Seattle’s new central public library heated up in early May as two of the five finalists bailed out, saying the selection process was too demanding. The five firms were selected in April from 24 applicants.
The remaining three contenders for the $156-million project forayed farther into the competition May 12, as they made presentations for the library board at a public event staged to “get a sense of how they would approach the design problem,” according to Alexandra Harris, manager of the library’s capital program.
Still in competition are the Portland firm of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, New York-based architect Steven Holl, and Rem Koolhaas of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam. Foster and Partners of London and Cesar Pelli and Associates of New Haven were the dropouts. The library board expects to make its final selection May 18.
Posted May 17, 1999.