Library Buildings around the World

A glass-enclosed staircase in the Town Square leads to the second-floor library. Community spaces within the library include the
teen room, group study rooms, Tech Center, Family Place, children's and adult collections, and the Family Learning Center. The
Quiet Room and Living Room, complete with a fireplace and surrounded by the periodicals collection, are glass boxes that overlook
the Town Square.
The building's concrete tilt-up walls are meant to convey permanence and dignity. Economical and durable, concrete tilt-up walls
allow for easy maintenance and better acoustical control while creating an appropriately modern aesthetic.
A commitment to sustainability helped guide the design process. Since artificial lighting is the biggest user of electricity in this type
of facility, the goal is to provide adequate natural daylight so that no lights are needed in the gym or the library on sunny days.
Sensors will be used to monitor lighting levels and water use. Slated to obtain a LEED Silver rating, the project will incorporate a
variety of other sustainable strategies, such as the use of recycled and regional materials. (Rob)
West Valley Branch Library, San José, CA – USA 2003
Libraries pose an interesting architectural dilemma. The library staff needs a large, featureless, infinitely flexible supermarket of a
space. By contrast, the public prefers intimate idiosyncratic spaces with more residential qualities. This building seeks to address
that paradox while providing clear circulation and abundant natural daylight.
The large central space of this library has only four columns. The circulation desk monitors the entrance, and the information desk
is located at the center to provide visual supervision of the main space and small group rooms. The edges around this space are more
personal and intimate in both scale and daylighting. They include areas for group study, periodicals, adult reading with fireplace,
children's area, and a technology classroom.
Like many branch libraries, this building is a focus of community life and acts as a beacon from the street. The entry façade is
canted to welcome both sidewalk pedestrians and auto users. The community room opens onto a patio at the front of the building to
enhance public interaction and provide expansion for larger gatherings. The children’s area, visible from the nearby intersection, is
glazed to provide views and an invitation to passersby.
Designed to serve as a practical role model for ecologically responsible architecture, it is the City of San José’s first LEED-certified
building and the first LEED-certified library in the world. The design incorporated a variety of green strategies. The following are
just a few examples:
Since electric lighting is the major consumer of energy in a library, the building is carefully designed to minimize the use of artificial
light sources. Skylights above the woven screen ceiling diffuser provide even daylighting until sunset when sensors turn on the lights.
Air conditioning is kept to a minimum through carefully shaded windows, efficient insulation, and an under-floor mechanical
system. In addition, thick concrete block walls add thermal mass to the structure.
The site’s mature, existing trees were preserved. Landscaping is drought tolerant, low water use and features high-efficiency
irrigation controls to reduce use of water. Inside, the library features waterless urinals and automatic sensors for sinks and toilets.
Materials are specified with a "green building" philosophy. All lumber is F.S.C. certified. Where possible, ceramic tile, thermal
insulation, carpeting, and furniture are made of recycled materials. Low-emitting materials were also used, including low-VOC
paints and adhesives.
The construction sequence prohibited re-using materials from the previous library structure. More than 90% of construction
demolition and waste was recycled.
Among the most unique and innovative features of the library are the fanciful public art installations situated inside the building and
outside near the entry. The artworks’ plant themes reflect the area’s agricultural past, and the artworks are made of green
materials, including found/re-used objects, sustainable harvested wood, and low-VOC paint. The cabbage sculpture near the
entryway acts as a passive water feature, fed by storm water and dew that flows from the roof. (Rob)
Rogers Marvel Architects, New York, NY – USA
http://www.rogersmarvel.com
Libraries:
New York Public Library Mulberry Street Branch (Soho), New York, NY – USA 2007
Awards:
AIA New York State Award of Merit, NY Art Commission Commendation
Rogers Marvel designed the newest branch in the NYPL system. In a former chocolate factory, the 15,000sf library connects reading
and circulation spaces at the ground level to collections, reading rooms, and computer facilities below grade. A prominent stair links
the spaces and brings natural light downstairs. New materials of wood and metal provide a dynamic contrast to the existing fabric of
brick, cast iron, and heavy timber beams. Creating unique spatial solutions from difficult sites, honoring historic found conditions,
and weaving in new refined, modern forms are distinguishing characteristics of the work of Rogers Marvel Architects. (Rogers)
Robin Hood Library at P.S. 105, The Bay School (Renovation), Queens, New York,NY – USA 2004
Ross Barney Architects, Chicago IL – USA
http://www.r-barc.com
Libaries:
Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL – USA 2008
CLIENT City of Champaign, IL, PROGRAM 121,000 square feet Public Library, COST $22.8 million, STATUS Complete 2008
Associate Architect Gorski Riefstek, Engineer Henneman Engineering
Ross Barney Architects was commissioned to assist the Champaign Public Library in designing a new facility that responds to the
needs of a high tech library for the 21st Century and one that responds to the community.
The design works within constraints of a small site, maintaining building operations throughout construction and a tight budget.
The proposed design of approximately 121,000 square feet located the new building North of their existing facility. The site is
bisected by a new entry drive, creating separate zones for parking and the new facility. The building is raised on a monumental grass
plinth presenting a civic image to the arriving patron, separating the building from the major vehicular thoroughfare along the
south end of the site.
The library program is organized on two levels separating the youth and adult services with the administration located on a third
floor mezzanine. The depth of the resulting floor plate was relieved by a series of lightwells and clerestories that allow natural light
to reach the first level childrens collection. A central two level atrium spine leads the patron from the entry lobby through the
various collection spaces creating a dramatic gateway to library services. A conference center/multi-purpose facility is also planned
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