Whenever I think of the effects color have on the human psyche, I can’t help but remember my childhood years when my mom would obsess over populating our boat with more blue than there was in the sea. She kept thinking that if she stuffed enough blue colors in then maybe one day she wouldn’t actually get seasick. Afterall, blue is supposed to be calming.

There’s no question that colors can have dramatic effects on our mood and the way we feel in a space. Certain colors can stir up feelings of frustration and anxiety while others may have a calming effect, producing an inviting space where people want to linger. Many studies have been done on the effects of color on mood and has revealed that, in general, blues, greens and even pink are on the calming side and good for things like prisons and hospitals, orange can stimulate appetite therefore good in a kitchen, yellow is a memory stimulator but can also raise blood pressure while not as dramatic as red which is a stimulator which can be both good and bad. While I’ve always loved red as splashes of color in a space, I recently realized what can happen when there’s a too much of it.

I go back and forth on how I feel about the Rem Koolhaas design of the Seattle Central Library. Everytime I visit I see something new, experience a different sequence and take on new thoughts. It’s a complex and highly interesting building. But in my last visit, I spent more time in the red hallway that is kind of hidden off the side of the main floor. The first time I came across this space a couple years ago, it was exciting because it was so dramatically different from the rest of the builiding and therefore totally unexpected. There was also no one there but me and I didn’t linger long. This time, there were several people and I wandered around for a bit longer.

It’s not a normal hallway though. It feels like entering the belly of the beast with the organic walls and ceiling, completely painted all around in a bright, very shiny red.

It also has a crazy echo which only heightens the uneasy and anxious feeling. I remember hearing footsteps before I saw people and strange sounds without being able to tell which direction it was coming from. I felt like my eyes were darting in all directions. Knowing that this space was pretty unique in its intensity, I gave in to it and lingered in the hallway to allow myself to fully experience it. It’s an intense feeling, staring at so much red and letting the imagination run wild.

I felt pretty calm upon entering the library as I’d enjoyed a nice, leisurely day wandering around the city with a friend so I could only imagine what the space could stir up in an individual with a less than calm mind. Perhaps it wasn’t the best place to put restrooms. Just a thought.

images (c) Lisa Town