Library Buildings around the World

gather, with an open reading room at the top. The other pavilion serves as a circulation and reference desk, with a lounge area set
between the two structures. The library now houses an extensive collection of art and design volumes, magazines and multimedia
resources, as well as group study areas, classrooms, administrative offices, and an adjacent café. With a 300-bed dormitory on the
top floors, the café and the library becomes an extension of the living space where students emerge from their rooms to interact with
each other and move freely between the programmed spaces.
The project has recently received several distinguished awards recognizing the library and design team’s dedication to its
preservation. In the past few months, Fleet Library has won a 2006 Adaptive Reuse/Material Conservation/New Design/Institutional
Award from The Providence Preservation Society, an AIA/ALA Library Building Award jointly awarded by the American Institute
of Architects and the American Library Association, and it was recognized as one of the 2007 Best Environments by I.D. Magazine.
The Fleet Library has also been mentioned in several international, national and local publications. In June, the project was featured
in Architectural Record, Proyecto (magazine of the Latin Builders Association), and Architect Magazine. Prior to these recent
features, the project was also profiled in Frame (from The Netherlands) and The Boston Globe.
About Shawmut
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in Providence, RI, New York, NY, and Atlantic City, NJ, Shawmut Design and
Construction is a $700 million national construction management firm providing client-oriented services for academic, banking,
corporate interiors, cultural and historic preservation, retail, restaurant, and science and healthcare markets.
(http://www.shawmut.com/our-company/in_the_news/RISD-Awards.cfm)
Oglesby Greene, Dallas, TX – USA
http://www.oglesbygreene.com
2006 Architecture Firm Award, Texas Society of Architects
Libraries:
Grauwyler Park Branch Library, Dallas, TX – USA 2007
Awards:
2010 Design Award, Texas Society of Architects
The Grauwyler Park Branch Library, at only 12,500 s.f., is Dallas’ smallest programmed new branch facility. The site, hemmed in
by setbacks, a curving utility easement, and a city park, determined the footprint of the building. The residual layout is compact,
efficient, and simple. Parking is shared with the park and connected to its trails. The library acts as a gateway between the two, with
a clocktower as a prominent marker, integrating its community and the park. The common public portion of the library opens up
to the wooded park offering expansive views, and the “back of house” areas zone to the street edges. Decking extends to shade areas
of full height glazing and vertical metal sunscreens block low afternoon sunlight. The plan of the library is arranged so that all areas
have natural light and views. The centrally located check-out/information desk, on axis with the single point of entry, allows for
efficient staff supervision. The desk is also located directly under a clerestory skylight to give prominence to this area with optimal.
Materials, such as the wood decking and beams, were chosen to give warmth to the space but also to be durable and to meet
sustainable LEED criteria. Bookshelves near the information desk are held to a lower height and run parallel for ease of supervision,
and to highlight views to the adjacent park. An emphasis was placed on making each user-group's area of the library distinct, while
still maintaining an overall image and easily supervised space. This was done through the use of differing, but coordinating carpets,
paints, wall coverings, furnishings, and fabrics. The result is a widely-used, enduring facility that is appropriate to and appreciated
by both the community and the librarians and staff who call this branch their home. (Oglesby)
Olson Kundig Architects, Seattle, WA – USA
http://www.olsonkundigarchitects.com
Libaries:
Seattle Public Library, Southwest Branch, Seattle, WA – USA 2006
Our firm played a major role in the renovation of Seattle Public Library’s neighborhood branch system with the redesign of the
Southwest Branch. The addition transformed the existing 1960’s era neighborhood library into an up-to-date facility, doubling its
former size to 15,000 square-feet and creating room for new books, DVDs and music. The expansion advances the building to the
street, with a two story addition which increases the building’s civic presence. British Columbia artist Katherine Kerr created an
instillation piece of outstretched hands, cast from the hands of some of the library’s most active patrons. (Olson)
Public Library Auburn, City of Auburn, WA – USA 2002
Set in a suburban park on the edge of a busy highway, this 15,000-square-foot library forms a strong street presence, calling
attention to itself amidst the riot of color and signage typical of suburban thoroughfares. On its opposite side, the building softly
modulates to meet the park. Inspired by the shape of an open book, the building contains the collections area, a community resource
room, computer stations and support areas (Olson)
Seattle University, School od Law, Sullivan Hall, Seattle, WA – USA 1999
Awards:
Masonry Institute of Washington Citation Award 2001
Seattle AIA Merit Award 2001
Designed to accommodate 850 students, the building promotes the sense of the school as a unified entity in a comfortable, open
environment. The primary building feature is the central atrium, which connects three levels of the 136,000-square-foot structure,
brings in natural light and promotes a sense of community. The building complements the existing campus architecture without
sacrificing its own identity. The building includes a 250,000-volume law library. Virtually every place a student can sit down is wired
with data communication capabilities. This project was completed in association with Yost Grube Hall Architects. (Olson)
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