Library Buildings around the World

the entry plaza has a “braided stream” motif, a geometry prevalent in rural Alaska. Visitors enter the library through a 3-story
“Great Room” where the supporting columns are reminiscent of oil derricks, a tribute to Alaska’s rich oil and gas history. The finish
on the main stairway, surrounding the three-story high pendulum, represents the natural beauty of Alaskan ledge stone. The
library’s design also provides magnificent views of the Chugach Mountain Range. Study areas were placed on a curvilinear wall
facing these breathtaking views. To allow an optimal amount of daylight into the study area while minimizing the harmful effects of
UV rays on the library’s collection, the exterior walls were tilted out 12 degrees. The high-tech coating for the glazing was also
engineered to provide additional protection. Design attention was given to bringing natural light into the core portions of the facility
through large sky lit areas. Artificial lighting was of similar concern. Rather than running parallel to the shelves, diagonal rows of
indirect lights illuminate the book stacks. This innovative system eliminates shadows and provides consistent lighting levels across
the face of the books on the lowest as well as highest shelves. To facilitate current and anticipated future technological requirements
of a “Library of the 21st Century,” there is an abundance of varying sized group and private study areas equipped with both wired
and wireless connectivity. And, finally, building on the desire to create a visual icon for the campus, a 60-foot LED light tower
crowns the building as a beacon of knowledge, visible from miles away in the dark, northern sky. This project encompasses the
development of a new 126,000 SF addition to the existing 87,000 SF existing UAA/APU Consortium Library. The project was
designed to provide continued use of the current Consortium Library building, modified and upgraded to meet the requirements of
future library operations. Construction of another component to the project—the 110,000 SF, 300 space parking structure and
pedestrian link (skybridge) — was completed in early 2002. (RIM)
General Contractor for Library Addition - Cornerstone General Contractors ($22.6 Million; Completed Oct 2004)
General Contractor for Parking Structure - Nesser Construction ($9 Million; Completed Feb 2002)
RNL Design, Denver, CO – USA
http://www.rnldesign.com
Libraries:
Lewis Library and Technology Center, Fontana, CA – USA 2008
For years, the small, 13,000-square-foot County branch library on Emerald Avenue served the residents of Fontana adequately. But,
when residential development started to take off in the mid-1990s, the little library found it was too small and under-equipped to
meet the needs of the growing community. Today, with a patron base of over 200,000, it is apparent that a modern, more
technologically advanced library is necessary to enhance personal, professional, recreational and lifelong learning goals. The new
regional Lewis Library and Technology Center is the first significant new building in the Fontana Civic Center. Set in the new civic
center park, the Library represents the new Fontana – proud of its past but looking toward the future. The community is looking to
this regional Library to establish a new civic image for the City as well as provide a stimulus for the revitalization of the historic
downtown. The Library fulfills the community’s desire for improved library services as well as establish an icon for a maturing and
growing City. The new Library is a place for all generations, from the youngest child coming with his mother to a s
ory-telling program, to the young student researching a school paper on the Internet, to an adult coming to explore new career
opportunities, to a senior enjoying a newspaper in her native language. ( http://www.fontanalibrary.org )
The Lewis Library and Technology Center has opened in Fontana, California. The Los Angeles office of RNL Design designed the
$65 million building with a mix of traditional Mission-style and contemporary architecture. Located on 2.1 acres (0.8 hectares) in the
new Civic Center Park, the two-story, 93,000-square-foot (8,600-square-meter) center is framed by a large plaza with a clock tower,
fountains, and rotunda. The facility includes a 330-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a cafe. LEED certification is being
sought for the building. The Los Angeles office of Heery International served as construction manager.
( http://www.architectureweek.com )
Arvada Public Library, Arvada, CO – USA 2007
The new library building is a cornerstone, focusing energy in redevelopment of the Olde Town Conservation Area. Located on the
east portion of the site to gain maximum open space for the town square and best light, the two-story facility will be a distinctive
signature destination. Features include a large meeting room, a drive-up book drop, study rooms, wireless internet access, many
public-use computers, a large children’s area, and adult and teen reading areas. Rather than developing a new style, colors and
materials for the project are based on the roots and materiality of existing Olde Town Arvada, a neighborhood already possessing
distinct architectural character. Exterior materials include brick masonry veneer (two tones), a glass and aluminum storefront and
curtain wall system and punched openings, and aluminum sunscreens. The structural system is comprised of steel framing and metal
studs. An EPDM membrane is used as the roofing system. The project is a partnership between many entities, with funding for the
new library, parking lot and renovation to Olde town square will come from Jefferson County Public Library, the City of Arvada,
the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority and Jefferson County. (RNL)
Tallyn´s Reach Library, Aurora, CO – USA 2003
27.000 sqf.
This focal point of the community is comprised of a Branch Library, Fire Station and Police Station. The architecture was reduced
to a series of pavilions expressing various areas the complex. Materials were expressive of the surrounding plains environment:
limestone, copper, wood columns, tan brick, rough field stone, etc. Natural light falls from the clerestory along the central gallery of
the library; patrons are sitting by the stone fireplace enjoying coffee while reading. The children’s library, offers painting in the
craft area, seated reading under the brilliant color of an authentic hot air balloon suspended above. Computers are humming as
patrons throughout the library search the internet. New books are presented in a retail style on custom wooden display tables; along
side the CD/DVD racks. A large center spine with high glass allows wonderful natural light to spill into the center of the library.
Large views exist of the plains and Front Range of the Rocky Mountains from various locations, especially the bookstore. The
library layout and mechanical and electrical design allows for adaptable change in the future, able to reconfigure without need for
renovation. (RNL)
Martin Luther King Library, Aurora, CO – USA 2001
10.000 sqf.
The new 30,000 s.f. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and Municipal Services Center was designed as an inspiration, focusing on the
energy of the redevelopment of Original Aurora. The two-story facility becomes a distinctive signature destination, identifying its
community. The project acts as the design precedent for the surrounding redevelopment of a reemerging neighborhood, as the first
step in rebuilding several city blocks on East Colfax Avenue. The design included the development of a new building and park, with
the integration of a plaza for many daytime and evening activities for a continuously changing population. (RNL)
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