Library Buildings around the World

Redwood Shores Library, Redwood City, CA – USA 2008
22.500 sqf.
Meeds + Vision
Environmental appreciation is fundamental to the small community of Redwood Shore, located next to the waterfront along the
Belmont Slough of the San Francico Bay. Lacking a library and community meeting space, and with a delicate wetlands site in mind,
the City select ABA to lead their effort of obtaining state funding. ABA´s strategies and solutions createdf atailor fit of library,
community space and an educational center that teaches about the balance between community needs and environmental sensitivity.
State, City and Site Process. A Community in Transition
ABA was able to obtain two-thirds of the library development cost, a $ 10.1 million State Bond Act Grant, through a highly
collaborative Needs Assessment process co-created with the Core Team, Community Advisory Committee, City Staff and the
Community-at-large. By using surveys, focus groups, interviews, and even a creative workshop with school-age children, the Needs
Assessment engaged a wide range of people and convincingly made the case that Redwood Shores was underserved in library
services, winning competitive Sate funding. ABA also facilitated the community through a complex and successful entitlements
permit through the rigorous San Francisco Bay Conservation Developemnt Commission (BCDC).
Sculpted to Meet the Water´s Edge ...
Rethinking the fundamental purpose and fuctions of the library, the design addressed the assessed needs and included resource
areas, a teen area, five community meeting rooms, technology center, and bookstore. Sculpted to meet the water edge, each room
opens to large windows that maximize views. Interior furniture and finishes play on a nautical theme, using a marine-inspired color
platte. A café that spills out onto a deckbecomes the bordwalk access to the nature trail along the water. An Environmental
Interpretive Center transforms book learning into observation and interaction with the natural habitat of the wetlands, the bay and
slough wildlife.
Green Systems. Protcting and Learning About the Delicate Bay Ecosystem.
In the vein of slough preservation and conservation, the project was designed to exceed even the community´s desires for sustainable
design. Honoring the biodiversity of the bay wetlands, the Library sits on piers that minimize its impact to the delicate surroundings.
From the under floor air distribution and natural daylight,to the specialized water treatment, water efficient fixtures, widely
incorporated recycled and healthy building materials, and native landscaping, the Library incorporates multiple strategies of
environmentally sustainable design. Although not submitted to the US Green Building Council rating system (USGBC), the City is
publicizing the Library as its case study for development of citywide green design guidelines. (ABA)
Cambrian Branch Library, Son José Public Library, San José, CA – USA 2006
27.800 sqf.
The new 28.000 sqf. Library provides three times the space of the outdated original and festures many neighborhood amenities: a
living room with fireplace, internet café, tech center, and a community room accommodating 100 persons. The design evokes
movement and discovery, the proportions based on the mathematical “Fibonacci” sequence represented literally by a red spiral in
the children´s area, and permeating conceptually throughout the project. Public art is also incorporated in the 2-story interior,
drawing from the natural and social histories of the area. The building´s sustainable features include shading elements, storm water
retention, and a high-efficiency mechanical system, lowering life-cycle energy costs. (ABA)
Tully Community Branch Library, San José, CA – USA 2005
ABA worked with the City of San José to appropriately locate a new branch library, ball fields and parking within a master plan of
approximately 19 acres in central San José. The library anchors the corner of the overall site with a barn-shaped form that reflects
the agrarian past. The tall windows of the children´s area act as retail beacons to the facing busy road. The project incorporates an
under floor air distribution system so that, despite its lofty volume, energy consumption is vastly decreased from standard practices.
The sustainably designed project receoived a Water Quality Award for exemplary water efficiency and water tratment strategies.
(ABA)
Martin Luther King Jr. Library, City of San José, San José State University, Joint Library – USA 2003
Executive Architect - Carrier Johnson, San Diego, CA, •Design Associate Architect - Gunnar Birkerts Architects, Bloomfield, MI
Local Associate Architect - Anderson Brulé Architects, San José, CA
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is a 136 foot (41 m) tall public library in Downtown San Jose, California, United States that
opened on August 1, 2003. As of 2007, it is the largest library building in the western United States built in a single construction
project with over 475,000 square feet (44,000 m²) of space on eight floors and approximately 1.6 million volumes. The King Library
is the main library for both San José State University and the San José Public Library.
This is the largest library to be built at one time west of the Mississippi - Eight floors plus a mezzanine and lower level •475,000+
square feet •11 acres of space •The building has a capacity of 2 million volumes •5 public elevators, escalators to the 4th •3,600 seats
(more than double the combined seating of previous library facilities) •over 1 million visitors served per year •The Library is free
and open to all - no identification or proof of residency is needed to use or enjoy materials within the Library.
(http://www.sjlibrary.org)
Acock Associates Architects, Columbus, OH – USA
http://www.acock.com
Ohio State University (OSU) Thompson Library, Columbus, OH – USA 2009
The Thompson Library is a corner stone to The Ohio State University; it was built in three phases: the original, a Second Italian
Renaissance Revival Style Structure opened in 1913; a 14 level stacks tower with wings and pavilions completed in 1951; and a
modernist addition to the west, completed in 1977. The mission of the Thompson Library project is to produce a newly renovated
structure that successfully meets the master plan and program objectives of the Thompson Library, through thoughtful
management and the deployment of resources. The Thompson Library, as the Main Library of OSU, serves both as a general library
for undergraduates and a research library for graduate students. Faculty in humanities and social sciences also share this building.
While the library services and its collections receive high praise from the campus community, the physical environment falls short of
its expectations. The renovated Library will house print-based collections, special collections, reading rooms, study areas, staff
services and work areas. Public areas will included a café, exhibit spaces, and a major pedestrian access through the main level of
the building. With this renovation the library will also include, the EHS library collection/staff/services, currently located in
Sullivant Hall. The vacated space by EHS at Sullivant Hall will be renovated/ modified to create what will be called the Library
Technical Center. (Acock)
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