Library Buildings around the World

Respect for the college´s historic campus architecture and world renowned archaeological collections combined with innovative
thinking in library and sustainable design inspired this project. The modern glass, steel and stone two-storey library built as an
expansion to Thomas Hall, a national registered collegiate Gothic building designed by Cope and Stewardson, is submerged under a
grassy roof terrace and connects to the old building through a four-storey high atrium reading room and event space. The library´s
mix of study, social and lecture spaces provides a campus community center for interdisciplinary work and social interaction.
(Myerberg) (10.000 sf renovation, 35.000 sf expansion)
HMC ( Harnish Morgan & Causey ) Architects, Ontario, CA – USA
http://hmcarchitects.com
Libraries:
Mt. San Antonio College, Learning Resource Center, Walnut, CA – USA on design
The vision for the LRC project was to create a new vibrant campus center to attract and encourage interaction and knowledge
sharing. The LRC gives new direction to an evolving progressive institution, by creating an activity center that merges student
research, study, and activity spaces to create a central, multifunctional destination. The Architect worked with College leaders to
design a dynamic campus landmark and gathering place that connects the academic, cultural, and social pursuits of the students,
faculty and community. The Architect and client outlined the following objectives to help make the vision a reality: - To design a
“beacon of knowledge”, a prominent landmark and visual reference for students and the surrounding community. - To combine
library functions, student government and clubs, dining facilities, and retail spaces within a central, multifunctional destination.
- To create flexible interior and exterior gathering spaces to accommodate a variety of student needs and activities.
- To maximize the quantity and variety of study space for individuals and groups. The 200,000 square foot LRC and Student Center
include an open library with a focus on study areas, activity and meeting centers, a bookstore, a convenience store, and student and
community dining. The complex sits down-slope from a newly defined campus quad, designed to accommodate the largest of campus
gatherings. The complex engages the slope to address and invite participation from all campus levels. The central landscape of the
LRC courtyard flows from the campus’ main quad, meanders through the complex, and forms a series of gathering spaces capable
of housing many cultural and social events. From this courtyard, students can access all the functions of the complex. Elevating the
outdoor activities spaces creates an interactive plinth which supports the LRC and Student Center. Against a contextual brick
background, the Student Center grows from the existing roots of the campus. The porosity of its exterior walls invites activity from
many different points. The library is transparent and translucent to encourage the open flow of interaction, knowledge, and ideas,
while the bridges interconnect multiple levels of the complex to link the interdependent programs. Patrons enter the library through
a 3-story atrium featuring a cantilevered mezzanine study space with clear views to the campus. Circulation, study rooms, and the
organizational layout are visible from every level within the atrium, a transparency that promotes the open flow of knowledge,
information and ideas. A monumental staircase transitions through the atrium lobby, linking levels and connecting to the bridges
that span the open courtyard. Indoor study spaces define the edges of the building and bridges, taking advantage of natural light and
creating a direct visual link with the courtyard and campus. Concrete, glass, and brick masonry blend the LRC with the existing
campus while the material treatment and utilization allow it to stand apart as a student activity center. Vertical exterior fins –
symbolic of an “open book” - welcome patrons from all parts of the campus. LEED Platinum is the sustainable goal for the complex.
The Green strategies promote the college’s decree to save energy and maximize efficiency. Double skin insulates and ventilates the
exterior envelope. Geothermal heating and cooling are captured and routed to each floor through the precast concrete slab channels.
Horizontal sunshades screen sun while vertical fins protect from east-west rays. Green roofs insulate the building and help blend it
with the surroundings. Large skylights and insulated glazing with solar tracking louvers around the building’s skin allow natural
light to penetrate deep into all levels. A greywater system is employed to reduce water consumption. And finally photovoltaic panels
convert the areas abundant with sunlight into electricity. These sustainable goals reduce energy consumption, provide long-term cost
savings, and enhance the learning environment.
San Francisco State University, Paul Leonhard Library & Sutro Library, San Francisco CA – USA – 2012
A major expansion and renovation of the J. Paul Leonard Library building is underway. Set to open Fall 2011, the new home of the
J. Paul Leonard Library, Sutro Library, Labor Archives and Resource Center, Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching
and Faculty Development, will provide expanded study and computing space for users, growth space for collections, access to new
technologies, and a safe and healthy environment for work and study. Once completed the new Library will have 34% more total
space; 50% more seating; 50% more group study areas; 50% more collection capacity, both in open stacks and a high-density
automated retrieval system; and 100% more computers. The new library building will provide a flexible and congenial learning
environment in the heart of campus. ( http://www.library.sfsu.edu )
Woodcrest Library, County od Riverside, Riverside CA – USA 2007
The project required civil engineering services for a 10,000 square foot County Library. The Woodcrest Library is the first LEED
certified building in the County of Riverside, initiating an environmentally concerned approach by the County for future projects.
Services include providing the grading plan for the six-acre site in addition to water improvement plans.
HMR (Holt Morgan Russel) Architects, Princeton, NJ - USA
http://www.hmr-architects.com
Libraries:
Princeton University Library, Harvey S. Firestone Memorial Library – Princeton, NJ – USA ongoing
See: Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abott, Boston, MA – USA
http://www.sbra.com
Firestone Library opened in 1948 (Robert B. O´Connor 1896 – Nov. 1993 Mount Kisco, NY), as the first large American university
library constructed after World War II, Princeton University Library is the main library system of Princeton University. With
holdings of more than 7 million books, 6 million microforms, and 48,000 linear feet of manuscripts,it is headquartered in the Harvey
S. Firestone Memorial Library building, named after tire magnate Harvey Firestone.
Creating the vision for the Firestone Library Renovation Project has been a cumulative process involving extensive planning and
research. This renovation will not only provide modern building systems and infrastructure, but it will also highlight and capture the
unique character of the original 1948 building design. Through this renovation, Firestone’s architectural history will be gracefully
combined with the needs of today’s scholars. In the words of the project’s Architect of Record, Carole Wedge, “Firestone’s central
vision for scholarship remains a constant in a setting that reinforces its strong sense of place.”
Celebrating Our History
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