Library Buildings around the World

2006 Green Roof Award of Excellence, Extensive Institutional Category Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
2005 Honor Award for Civic Design. AIA Washington Council
The Ballard Library and Neighborhood Service Center draws on this established Seattle neighborhood's Scandinavian and maritime
roots, while focusing on its future as a popular community composed of a younger, more diverse population. The building presents a
powerful civic face along a pedestrian corridor. Its main entry is pulled back from the street to make a deep front porch, where
exterior site furnishings are grouped to encourage human interaction and reinforce the civic nature of this sheltered space.
Individually metered, photovoltaic glass panels shade the Neighborhood Service Center lobby, demonstrating the effectiveness of
photovoltaic technology in a Pacific Northwest environment. The project effectively illustrates that green building is feasible within a
modest budget, and offers the Ballard community an ideal example of the benefits to be realized when sustainable design and
extraordinary architecture come together. (Bohlin)
Issaqua Public Library, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA – USA 2001
Awards:
2005 Design Award. AIA/ALA
2004 Citation Award. AIA Washington Council
2002 Citaion Award. AIA Washington Council Civic Design Awards
2001 Interior Lighting Desin Award. Illuminating Engineering Society, Seattle Section
2001 Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award for Interior Lighting Design. Illuminating Engineering
Society, Puget Sound Section
The Issaquah Public Library is a 15,000 sq. ft. branch library that represents an expansion and modernization of library services for
Issaquah in a more prominent and centralized location. It is located in the heart of the historic downtown core, on the corner of
Front and Sunset streets. While future downtown planning calls for multi-story urban structures, the library use dictated a single
story. The cedar-sided structure resolved this apparent conflict through the use of an exaggerated building height coupled with the
use of a trellis and canopies to maintain a humane scale at the street level. These scale elements relate to the cornice height of the
neighboring buildings and visually secure the building in its context. Patrons approach the entry from the new parking structure,
passing screens of greenery and artwork, and from Front Street past large multi-paned windows. This rhythm echoes the pattern of
shop windows and offers protection through a large overhang and canopies. On the corner is a large covered area, or agora, which
serves as a sheltered gathering space and marks the entrance to the building. Activity in the multi-purpose room, adjacent to the
agora, is visible from the streetscape. Doors open to the area outside to accommodate special events. Entering from the agora,
patrons pass through a wood-lined lobby and under a pair of tilted columns into the main space. Additional round columns gently
taper, accentuating their height, as they rise to meet the wood-lined ceiling. Light filters through clerestory windows to highlight a
delicate metal truss at the building's spine while bathing the space in natural light. Maple desks and bookcase ends carry the warmth
of wood throughout the space. Trellises at the children's area and circulation desks mimic the exterior trellis. Stone petroglyphs in
the floor, benches and a series of bronze ravens line the entrance sequence while echoing the sense of discovery inherent in the
building's design. The library does not plagiarize historical details, but rather appears as a comfortable cousin to its historic
neighbors. The new Issaquah Library creates a fresh identity that is both timeless and welcoming. The Issaquah Library received a
2005 award for design in the joint American Institute of Architects/American Library Association awards program. (Bohlin)
Rakow Research Library, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY – USA 2000
The Rakow Library is the world's pre-eminent repository on the history and technology of glass. The Library's facility was designed
in response to a number of demanding criteria: the need to provide a secure environment for the library's irreplaceable collection,
the need to carefully control environmental conditions, and the need to protect the collection from the risks associated with the
museum's location in a flood plain.
Originally housed within the Museum of Glass building, continual expansion of the collection necessitated its relocation. After
various locations on the campus were evaluated, the Library was located within the shell of a vacant 1966 office building. This
renovation choice was dictated less by economy than by the advantages of its location and the expansion opportunities available
within the building's shell.
The renovation took the form of a radical reconstruction, including significant reinforcement of the steel structure to permit future
installation of compact shelving. This restructuring process afforded several design opportunities, including openings in the second
floor linking upper and lower levels.
Mechanical, electrical and finish systems were entirely replaced. Their design was heavily influenced by conservation requirements.
In addition to very narrow temperature and humidity tolerances, the building systems feature advanced air filtration, a fire
suppression system designed to minimize potential water damage, and careful segregation of heating and plumbing piping to avoid
the risk of leaks in collection areas. Finishes were chosen to minimize the introduction of air-borne contaminants.
The new library's architecture celebrates glass, thematically relating the building to its library subject and to the Museum's nearby
Glass Center. Extraordinary glass detailing characterizes the "building within a building" which houses the collection, as well as
special features such as glass-floored stairs and bridges. The south-facing reading areas enjoy a river view through a glass sunscreen.
This screen serves as a large "environmental sculpture," transforming the character of the former office building. Its metallic and
etched linear patterns interact with seasonal sun angles to maximize visual transparency while excluding direct sunlight from the
library's interior. (Bohlin)
Boora Architects, Portland, OR – USA
http://www.boora.com
Libraries:
Vernonia K 12 School, Vernonia, OR – USA 2012
This new educational campus is a ground-up replacement of Vernonia’s K-12 facilities after a devastating flood in 2007 severely
damaged or destroyed all of the small town’s schools.
The new building also functions as a community hub and civic center for activities and meetings with over 50,000 square feet
available for community use.
In the summer of 2012, Boora closed our office for a day of volunteering at the nearly completed school
Located on higher ground, the school is divided into four pods: lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school and high school.
Thirty-two classrooms are augmented by two gyms, a music/choir room, drama space, a media center and a commons/cafeteria.
Parking, natural wetlands and sports fields surround the school.
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