Library Buildings around the World

and charging stations. Traditional book and journal stacks are on the upper floors, with special collections on the top floor. Help
desks are located in major traffic areas, computer labs that support individual and group work are on two floors, and roaming
reference librarians are available via iPhone. Over 950 seats and 200 computers are available for visitors.
By deciding to ponder deeply and question what a library is, Seattle University artfully crafted a library experience that matches its
21st-century focus on educating the “whole person…for a just and humane world.”
(http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/06/buildings/national-landmark-academic-library-5-lemieux-library-and-mcgoldrick-learningcommons-seattle-university/)
Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day-Saints, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, UT – USA 2009
Project Team: Salt Lake City, Owner: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Contractor: Jacobsen Construction,
Swinerton Construction JV, Design Firm: MHTN Architects, Pfeiffer Partners, Start: April 2006, Finish: March 2009
The five-story LDS Church History Library houses and preserves the church’s expansive archives, including records, manuscripts,
publications, photographs and audiovisual items.
Located on the northeast corner of North Temple and Main Streets in Salt Lake City, the facility contains 13 storage vaults spanning
three floors. The library also features two public reading rooms, conference rooms, 120 staff offices and a digital image processing
center, as well as a conservation lab and an audio/video preservation facility.
The CHL needed to provide security and a closely controlled environment for the archives, while also providing light and views for
staff and patrons. The team created a wrapper of public and office spaces around the solid core of the collection, expressed
architecturally as a solid stone monolith, while the wrapper is more open and welcoming. The two opposite elements are
contemporary in spirit, yet respectful of the architectural traditions of the church.
(http://mountaistates.construction.com/mountainstates_construction.projects/2009/1207_LDSChurchHistoryLibrary.asp)
Santa Clara University, Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center and Orradre
Library, Santa Clara, CA – USA 2008
Size: 194,000 s.f., $ 92.000.000
The new Information Learning Center for Santa Clara University will combines library, media services, and information services
functions of the campus into one building and, with the nearby Benson Student Center, provides a vibrant student precinct at the
heart of campus. The site of the original library was selected for the project following a programming and analysis process that
considered both renovation and new construction alternatives. A primary component of the new facility is a 1.1-million volume
automated retrieval system (ARS), which is intended to house half of the general collection and provide room for 20 years of
expansion. Other features of the new facility include a student commons with access to the public, drop-in computer labs, a variety of
viewing/taping labs and dubbing/editing rooms, wired carrels and workstations, a café, and exhibit space. (Pfeiffer)
University of California San Diego. Biomedical Library Renovation and Expansion, La Jolla, CA – USA
2006
Size: 74,000 s.f. (including 41,000 s.f. addition)
Pfeiffer Partners’ renovation and expansion of the Biomedical Library at the University of California, San Diego, now complete,
includes a 41,000-square-foot addition that more than doubles the size of the existing library and incorporates a wide range of
technologies and collaborative learning spaces to serve today’s students and scientists. The $17 million renovation and expansion of
the nearly 40-year-old library renews the landmark structure, designed by Robert Evans Alexander in 1966, and provides a dynamic
new environment for medical research and innovation in the 21st century. A key aspect of the facility’s design recognizes the major
expansion of the campus over the years and plans for future medical school facilities to the south of the library. As such, the new
building serves as a welcoming lantern for visitors to the school arriving on Gilman Drive and creates a new 24-hour promenade
between the north and south precincts of the medical school.
(http://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek06/1110/1110d_ucsd.cfm)
Soka University of America, Daisaku and Kaneko Ikeda Library, Aliso Viejo, CA - 2001
Size: 124,000 s.f.
The Ikeda Library on the Soka University campus was completed by Pfeiffer Partners as part of the final master planning and Phase
I construction Pfeiffer Partners. Pfeiffer Partners was the architect for 11 of the first 19 buildings, including the new Library, which
is among the university's most significant structures. The facility serves as the western gateway to the entire University, with a grand
stair that leads into the campus through a monumental arch. Library services are housed in the north wing, while the south wing is
home to the Information Technology and Multi-Media Resource Center. Initially, the library also housed offices for student
activities, student housing and the Dean of Students, as well as the Pacific Basin Research Center, which will be relocated to other
buildings as the campus grows. Included in the Library is a Learning Center with a computer lab, 24-hour study space and several
tutorial rooms. (Pfeiffer)
Multinomah County Central Library. Historic Renovation and Penthouse Addition, Portland, OR
- USA 1996
Sqf. 123.000
When the original Multnomah County Central Library opened in 1913, it was considered one of the most modern in the country.
When it closed for renovation in 1994, it was the most used public library in the nation on a square-foot basis. Listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, the library has been meticulously restored and reinvented, maintaining a strong civic presence. On the
exterior, original windows and delicate wooden mullions were retained to preserve the original appearance. Inside, the building was
reorganized for greater access to materials, integration of state-of-the-art technologies, and expanded community facilities. The
public spaces on each floor are distinguished by pastel colors accented with white ceilings and window trim in true Georgian style.
Technology is respectfully integrated within the stately rooms with custom tables that conceal telecommunications lines and wires. A
20,000-sf addition was placed on the roof of the building for administrative offices and a staff lounge. (Pfeiffer)
Los Angeles Public Library. Central Library Historic Renovation and New Tom Bradley Wing,
Los Angeles, CA – USA 1993
Size: 225,000 s.f. (Renovation); 330,000 s.f. (Addition)
The Los Angeles Central Library, the largest public library in the western United States, is the centerpiece of a multi-block
development, providing both a cultural facility and related landscaping for public use in the midst of a high-rise commercial district.
Its expansion and rehabilitation incorporates Bertram Goodhue's (*28.04.1869 - + 23.04.1924 New York City) original 1926
landmark building with significant new construction. The 550,000-square-foot facility functions as a research center and
headquarters for 66 branches. In addition to 90 linear miles of shelving and seating for 1,500 patrons, the library features a board
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