SCULPTURE FOR BOOKS

Last year, the central branch of the Seattle Public Library, designed by the Dutch firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), opened to broad acclaim. OMA partner-in-charge Joshua Ramus explains that its appearance comes from “pushing boxes around to stay within the height and setback restrictions and zoning codes.” Next week writer Robert Such will explain how the library was conceived as an “information warehouse” that could adjust to future expansions of the collections while producing indoor public spaces.

MAKING HOUSING HOME

Affordable housing in the United States is a noble cause with a sad history. The unfortunate reality is that most affordable housing is and looks substandard and only adds to boundaries that separate race, culture, and class. To demonstrate how stellar design can be affordable, David J. Brown and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art initiated the HOME House Project, a competition for proposals which, like this passive solar house by Rado Ivanov, show that "small, sustainable, and affordable" can also be "delightful." Next week Brown will show some of the other award recipients.