3. Bobst: The Troubled Library

Elmer Holmes Bobst Library | New York University 

Whether the Bobst library is troubling because it is named after the controversial historical figure Elmer H. Bobst (a known anti-Semite) or because it contains coverings that are suicide veils, Bobst is a stunning library and it is no wonder why many NYU students choose to study here. The library is an atrium, so every gold aluminum covered floor is visible from any angle. The gold screens have holes that replicated digital pixels that serve as suicide veils to reduce suicide jumpers. Architect Philip Johnson designed the building, and he mentioned that the tops of the metal gates on each building purposefully resemble crosses and from a distance, the floor looks like spikes.