These kinds of floors are often referred to as "wood block" or "end grain" floors and were popular as industrial flooring because the vertical wood grain is much more durable/strong. While they are very attractive, they are much more susceptible to water damage..the various blocks will shrink and expand over time with water/weather extremes and you will be left with a very uneven floor!

The new Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville (designed by Tuck Hinton) features this type of wood block floor throughout the event spaces. It seems to be covered with tons of clearcoat. The company who installed it says that this type of wood block was used on streets and bridges in the past. Check out photos 1-3 on this page:

http://www.kaswell.com/woodblock/so_yell_pine.htm

the floors in the lutwidge museum of modern art in coln, germany have these floors. theirs look better though, and i am in love with them.

our street was actually done in wood block like this back in the day. instead of cobblestones showing through the pavement where there are potholes, we have wood blocks.

the Coach store at 63rd and Madison had these floors too- I think they are closed now, but it looked good with all the leather

Also in Germany, Munich to be exact, at the Nymphenburg Palace you can find the same end grain wood floors. Uneven but stunning and going on 200 years old.

Check out http://www.solumreclaimed.com for more pictures of wood block flooring and countertops.