Library Buildings around the World

eplacement.
Located on top of a hill, overlooking drive-through banks and fast food restaurants, the completely new 50,000-square-foot facility
and civic plaza is just down the road from Whitby's original Main Street, a respectable and active 19th-century streetscape. The
effective siting of the library is what contributes to its overall success. The site is bounded by Dundas Street, a busy four-lane arterial
to the north, with Henry Street, another busy arterial to its west. To allow for a sufficiently scaled public plaza, Frontini "dragged
the program" back to the south end of the site along Colborne Street, an inconsistently scaled residential condition with heritage
Victorian homes adjacent to an unfortunate '70s precast concrete apartment building. The eastern edge along King Street is
anchored by two recently restored City-owned heritage properties. By closing off King Street from Colborne Street, Frontini allowed
a quiet south-facing landscape to be designed by the MBTW Group. This forecourt serves as a quiet counterpart to the civic plaza
while giving something back to the neighbours who were concerned that the new library would be overbearing. In a car-oriented
community like Whitby, vehicular access is essential, but the landscaped forecourt that greets staff and visitors as they enter the
building from the 18-stall parking lot is a well-tempered feature to the project. The framing of the north-facing civic plaza is
particularly effective. A narrow L-shaped two-storey building along the eastern boundary intersecting with a deeper volume
stretching across the southern portion of the site provides a convincing backdrop for a generously scaled plaza. The transparency of
the library's expansive north façade allows for an animated expression while engaging in a dialogue between interior and exterior
spaces. The eastern edge of the plaza is anchored by a variety of busy activities: community meeting rooms, offices and a café. Along
the western edge of the plaza, a one-metre drop in elevation was used as a design opportunity to create a water fountain and
reflecting pool extending back into a notch in the library. And finally, with a long thin canopy, Frontini defined the edge of the
Dundas Street site with a gateway meant to be inhabited by market stalls or a range of civic activities. The canopy roof is clad in
copper and the illuminated structural piers are clad in limestone. Although the plaza's opportunities for a civic gathering place are
only beginning to be understood by the town, it is hoped that the farmers' market, outdoor celebrations and other activities will
migrate to this civic square for a range of year-round activities. Inside the library, Frontini has created a multi-layered space. The
main entrance, an intimately scaled central lobby, is located at the intersection of the building's three main functions: library,
meeting rooms and archives. The central spine, or North Atrium, looks out toward the plaza. This is the area of the library
containing "spinners," densely stocked display racks of pulp fiction and popular reading material. Long, slender light fixtures
suspended from the ceiling illuminate both the North and Central Atria. Made of translucent plastic with fluorescent lighting inside
the tube, the fixtures include uplighting and downlighting elements and accentuate the double-height spaces in the library, serving as
beacons to those approaching or driving by the building. Minimally obstructing the view out toward to the plaza, the façade is
braced by a steel frame comprised of an unusually dimensioned narrow HSS profile imported from the US. Paying roughly a 20
percent premium, Phillip Meades assisted Frontini in specifying a steel section that is much more narrow than wide. Also situated
along the North Atrium spine is a computer lab, kiosks with internet connections, and automated check-out stations. Migrating south
through the building are study rooms, quiet chairs and places where various reading and research facilities are located. Towards the
back of the library, north-facing clerestories, light wells and indentations into the south elevation provide ample and diffuse natural
daylight. Also along the south elevation, one discovers a deep copper-clad bay window with large leather cushions for introspection
and reading. Throughout the building, there are various notches cut into the perimeter that attempt to engage a dialogue between
the landscape and interior spaces. For the most part, these are largely gestures, but the reflecting pond that continues into a notched
recess at the juncture of the children's reading lounge along the main east-west axis is particularly successful. And while the heavily
articulated angled fins along the western façade relate the building to the mature row of trees lining the edge of the site, this design
feature seems largely disconnected from the overall architectural expression of the building. Under the direction of Frontini,
Whitby's new library and civic plaza marks a new era of intelligently designed projects to emerge from Shore Tilbe Irwin and
Partners. The project is also representative of a new generation of work resulting from the regeneration of one of Canada's oldest
firms. Indeed, the library's success can be measured by the number of visitors using the building--an increase from 18,000 to nearly
50,000 users per month. Just as the library was completed, Frontini was awarded a second project for the Town of Whitby: the
Brooklin Library and Community Centre. And with that project and with many other ongoing projects from STI, we await the
results of the firm's ongoing efforts to reposition itself on the architectural map. ( http://urbantoronto.ca )
Angus Glen Community Centre and Library, Markham, ON – Canada 2004
Project Size: 175,000 sq. ft. (Library: 30,000 sq. ft.), Project Value: $32 million, Completion Date: December 2004, Client: Town of
Markham.
The major elements of the program include a twin-pad arena component, gymnasium, pool, related change rooms and service
spaces, multi-purpose rooms, senior and youth areas, a district library, as well as ancillary retail, food and beverage outlets.
The building layout connects at several locations on three levels to outdoor passive and competitive activities.The building is
designed to harmonize with the strong natural landscape incorporating natural materials such as zinc cladding, Wiarton limestone,
clay brick and a Douglas Fir heavy timber and glulam structure. The massing of the Centre similarly utilizes the topography of the
site to partially bury the large bulky volumes of the arena, while showcasing the more animated volumes such as the pool and
library. Large sweeping roofs above the pool and arena create a strong design theme, replicating the undulations of the site. In
association with Stafford Haensli Architects. (Shore)
Barrie Public Library, Barrie, ON – Canada 1996
Designed by the Toronto firm of Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners in association with Ted Handy and Associates, the new $7.5 million
Barrie Public Library was built with funds made available by the Canada Infrastructure Programme. Federal, provincial, and
municipal governments made matching grants. As well, the Library Board was required to raise $1 million from the community.
Thanks to tremendous community support, the fundraising target was met within one year. Opened in December 1996, the new
Barrie Public Library features a two storey building housing both adult and children's services with the capacity for increased use of
technology including Internet service and an expanding CD-ROM collection. The new library provides additional study space for
groups and individuals as well as meeting room space for the community. A unique feature of the new library is its accessible
outdoor reading garden. (http://www.library.barrie.on.ca/about/history.htm )
Mississauga Central Library, Mississauga, ON – Canada 1990
Project Size: 152,000 sq. ft., Project Value: $35 million, Completion Date: 1990, Client: City of Mississauga
Award:
Mississauga Millennium Design Icon Award 2000
Completed in 1991, the Mississauga Central Library occupies a prominent site adjacent to the Mississauga City Hall. While the
library is strongly related to the City Hall, in both its use of materials and scale, it still manages to establish its own unique identity.
On the east and west, major entrances are strongly defined by pavilions adjoining an octagonal, sky-lit public rotunda. From this
orientation space, the public can either enter the library or the various public spaces such as the Café Gallery and meeting rooms. A
central courtyard with glass elevators and a large open staircase links the various departments. (Shore)
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