marketplace
A sprawling iron-and-glass structure where linguistic specimens are traded. Merchants' stalls are arranged according to language families, with Indo-European specimens in the north wing and isolated language blooms in careful quarantine. The central hall features a great clock that marks time with syllabic chimes. Steam-powered ventilation systems keep the air thick with a babel of pollen and phonemes. Glass cases display rare specimens - flowers that speak long-dead Australian languages, vines ...
Located in The Architecture of Babel.