This visually stunning public library redefines what a library is and can be

From afar, the Seattle Public Library takes the form of stacked boxes in shifting planes and volumes. Photos: Tan Bee Eu

When it opened to the public on May 23, 2004, the Seattle Public Library in the United States shook the world by storm. The architectural design is unconventional and unique, characterised by a glass and steel facade of diamond-shaped grid patterns.

With a size of 33,700sq m, it accommodates half a million books, 400 computers and 143 parking lots.