Seattle Central Library (Rem Koolhaas design)

Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004, the Seattle Central Library is noted for its unconventional glass-and-steel geometry and publicly accessible interior organization. The building houses over 1.5 million items and features the continuous 'Books Spiral' that allows non-linear browsing of nonfiction collections. Its bold contemporary design and civic function make it widely cited in studies of modern library architecture.