Waking up the masses

Part of the "edgy" styling of the Central Library in Seattle is its use of color. Most of the building's interior is industrial-feeling steel and glass, but there are splashes of bold color on some of the building's components. The main escalator that slants up the middle of the building, for example, is painted in this bright yellow. The floor that has meeting rooms is painted a blood-red.

Photographers seem to be a pretty common sight in the library. Just while I was there, I saw plenty of people trapsing around with digital cameras snapping pictures. While I was taking this frame, a woman standing nearby bemusedly asked me why photographers are forever taking pictures of this escalator. I told her I found the stark geometry and the color interesting, but she didn't seem very convinced. I believe the word "whatever" came up.