Library Buildings around the World

natural ventilation and user comfort while exterior sunshades and high-performance glazing were used wherever appropriate.
Locally sourced materials, the use of bioswales, infiltration fields and retention ponds further reduce environmental impact of the
campus. Though modest in program and spatial requirements, Quest University could have easily been accommodated by one
building with a more compact footprint. As it sits, the campus uses 60 acres to accommodate fewer than 1,000 full-time students,
faculty and staff. The decision to spread the program across the site reflects a socially motivated attempt to instill a more urbane,
user-friendly environment for the new student population. The use of circulation to enhance social interaction in the creation of
more sustainable spaces has been a focus of Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden's work since their redevelopment of Vancouver's
Granville Island in the 1970s. While the transformation of a dilapidated industrial site into a vibrant, livable community was
visionary at the time, its successes draw significantly from its location in the heart of a metropolis of over two million people. Quest
University, by contrast, feels empty and isolated, and its ability to act as a catalyst for local development might better be served by a
more integrated approach. Currently under capacity, the state-of-the-art facility is limited in terms of the social and support
networks it can offer its young student body and in the level of security and control the secluded campus can provide. For Squamish,
a town historically fuelled by the local pulp-and-paper mill, the development of a postsecondary institution helps position the
community within a larger global context while creating new economic opportunities for residents otherwise affected by the decline
in the British Columbia forest industry. By using the campus as an opportunity to showcase British Columbia and its landscape,
Quest joins a long tradition of pioneering and speculation that has made the West what it is today. While the long-term viability for
private postsecondary education in Canada remains to be seen, the ambition of Quest University's architecture speaks to the
potential of such an institution and its long-term possibilities for the region. (http://www.canadianarchitect.com)
Mount Royal College, Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Lerning, Calgary, AB – Canada 2007
Awards:
LEED: Certified Gold
Centre for Continuous Learning, Calgary, AB Client: Mount Royal College, Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden architects + urbanistes,
in collaboration with Cornerstone Architecture, prepared the master plan for a new integrated complex as a part of Mount Royal’s
Lincoln Park Campus expansion. In collaboration with Stantec, HBBH designed the first phase of this complex - The Centre for
Continuous Learning. This adult-professional training facility is a 4470 square metre building and includes a 450 seat Great Hall,
two computer labs, ten classrooms and a 60 seat training room wired to accommodate comprehensive IT and display media
servicing. The Centre can also accommodate and host special events. This project is the College’s first Leed© certified building and
consumes up to 40% less energy than a similar, traditionally designed space. Features include: concrete construction to help regulate
the temperature inside the building during all seasons; angled windows to maximize natural light; windows that automatically open
in the evening to cool the building and provide fresh air supply; a rainwater collection and retention system to reduce treated water
consumption in the washrooms, solar chimneys to allow hot air to escape; and sun shades on windows to keep the building cool in the
summer. (Hotson)
Hughes Condon Marler, Vancouver, BC – Canada
http://www.hcma.ca
Libraries:
Mill Woods Library, Seniors Centre & Multicultural Centre, Edmonton - Mill Wood, AB - Canada 2014
This project involves the design and construction of a new Library, Seniors Centre and Multicultural facility. Set within the context
of suburban malls and big box retail, the new building announces its civic presence by dramatically revealing the functions through a
sculptural interior space. The building is designed such that public areas of the library act as ‘carved’ spaces within the larger
structure, with support spaces hidden within the ‘solid’ portions of the building’s form. The material expression of the concept
further emphasizes the contrasting spacial characteristics. Translucent portions of the building contrast with the public spaces that
are light in colour, creating bright, airy multi-storey public spaces and reading rooms.
This project is a joint venture with Edmonton-based DUB Architects and is a LEED Silver candidate. (Hughes)
Jasper Place Branch Library, Edmonton, AB – Canada 2013
Joint Venure with DUB Architects, Edmonton http://www.dubarchitects.ca
The Jasper Place Branch Library design reflects the Edmonton Public Library’s aspirations to create an open and memorable
presence in the community. A welcoming and inclusive space, this sustainable design is flexible and will fulfill present and future
library needs and uses. This distinctive building will announce its unique role in the neighbourhood as a place for public use.
For this project, HCMA is working in joint-venture with Dub Architects, an Edmonton-based firm. (Hughes)
The new Jasper Place Library design encompasses the Edmonton Public Library’s aspirations to create a flexible, open and
memorable presence in the community. The design satisfies the following aims: A welcoming space that acts as an inclusive
designation for all demographics of the community; a distinctive building that announces its unique role in the neighborhood as a
place for public use; and a sustainable building that will fulfill present and future library needs. With an eye to a potentially bookless
future, this iconic, 15,000 sq ft library is focused more on social spaces than on books. The ground floor is occupied by staff functions
as well as a double-height reading room consisting of book stacks and reading areas. This public area extends above the staff area to
a mezzanine level overlooking the central space. Stairs–some of which are designed to double as reading spaces or an
amphitheatre—are located at each end of the mezzanine to form a continuous circulation loop for patrons. This landmark project
will generate civic pride, with its distinctive roofscapes and strong profiles set against the prairie sky and surrounding trees. The
facility will set the larger Meadowlark Community apart from other communities within Edmonton. From the road, the concrete
roof acts as a unifying enclosure and reinforces the continuity of public space. The design takes advantage of the site’s exposure to
vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the potential of light rail transit along the adjacent road to the west. For the community, it offers a
friendly welcome by using transparency to open its south and west faces to passersby. Sustainability on all fronts is a central focus.
The design seeks to create a memorable space of lasting social value. The functional longevity is strengthened by an open, flexible
floor plan that can accommodate future reorganization and adaptation. The facility is targeting LEED®-Silver certification.
Sebatian Jordana, Jsper Place Branch Library, 07.07.10 ArchDaily (http://www.archdaily.com)
Whistler Public Library, Whistler, BC – Canada 2008
Gross square footage: 1,400 m2, Total construction cost: $6.7 Million
Awards:
AIA/ALA Library Building Award 2003
The building form minimises summer, solar heat-gain while maximising desirable northern light suitable for reading.
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