Seattle attracts many visitors due to its beautiful geography (from sea and lakes to rivers and mountains) and also because it is home to some of America’s largest corporations: Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Nordstrom amongst others. At the same time, the city has kept an independent spirit that can be experienced in quirky neighborhoods such as Fremont a.k.a the “Center of the Known Universe“.

The Space Needle built in 1962 for the World Exhibition remains the most distinctive landmark in Seattle’s skyline alongside Mount Rainier which is one of the highest mountain peaks in the United States.

One of the most controversial architectural addition to the downtown area is the Seatlle Central Library designed by Rem Koolhaas. Opened since 2004, the library has triggered both positive and negative reactions from critics and the public. We personally loved it: its glass structure softly diffuses natural light throughout the open-plan interiors while the integration of high technology in the building offers new ways to experience books, reading and research.