Library Buildings around the World

Kohn Shnier Architects, Toronto, ON – Canada
http://www.kohnshnierarchitects.com
Libraries:
University of Toronto, E.J.Pratt Library, Toronto, ON – Canada 2001
(with Shore Tilbe Irwin + Partners)
Awards:
Ontario Library Association Award of Excellence Azure 2002
Unexpected colour and materials mix with a range of work options, a great art collection and comfortable study
areas to create one of modt popular and loved libraries at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto, The Shore and Moffat Library. Faculty of architecture, landscape and
Design, Toronto, ON – Canada 1998
This library and reading room uses the limitation and idocyncracies of the existing building to fashion unique and delightful spaces
where design students find both respite and inspiration. The space overlook the Eric Arthur Gallery and can be linked to it for
special events. (Kohn)
Alar Kongats Architects, Toronto, ON – Canada
http://www.kongatsarchitects.com
Libraries:
Hespeler Library, Hespeler (part of Cambridge), Ontario, ON – Canada 2006
14,000 sqf.. $3.200.000
Awards:
Canadian Architect 2004 Awards of Excellence. (Hespeler Library.) Canadian Architect. December 2004.
The Hespeler Library addition and renovation in the Town of Hespeler, Ontario (now part of Cambridge) wraps a 1922 Carnegie
Library in this historically significant textile mill town within an elegant and generous glass case. The new building envelope is
contemporary in its materiality with modulated ceramic frit patterns on glass that weave around the building to create varying
degrees of transparency that respond to interior activities and views. The design pays homage to both the community’s historic
textile past and its current technology-driven service industries while showcasing the Carnegie Library as an important piece of the
town’s history. “This is a clear, elegant solution to the problem of expanding an existing historic building. Old and new co-exist in an
unexpected way through conceiving of the new as a kind of “wrapper,” rather than a separate building. The fine scale of the texture
of this “wrapper” defers to the character of the existing building. At the same time, the wrapper in not neutral, but is composed of
several layers that change to achieve varying levels of transparency.” (Kongats)
The Hespeler Library is an existing community public library located in the Village of Hespeler in Cambridge, Ontario. Its history is
rooted in the manufacturing and textile milling industries, which was particularly active during the first half of the last century. The
library is located in the village's historic core and its redevelopment is a large component of the City of Cambridge's plan to
reinvigorate the area's potential for recreational, tourist and cultural uses. The intention to redevelop the existing library rather
than build a new facility reinforces the notion of preserving local history while providing the capital cost savings of building on a
greenfields site. The project addresses three key issues: shortage in space, site context, and the unification of several past renovations
and additions made to the original Carnegie building. The library will remain on the northeast corner of Tannery and Adam Streets
in Hespeler's historic core, while the proposed redevelopment is located to the east of the existing building. The architectural image
of the redeveloped library conveys a unified, accessible and contemporary quality achieved by delicately enveloping the existing
building with a new transparent structure extending along Adam Street and the newly relocated entrance along Tannery Street. The
materiality of the envelope pays homage to Hespeler's history as a textile town by layering a woven wire cloth and a ceramic fretted
pattern within panes of glass. The modulated density of the layering of materials within the panes of glass around the building
permits varying degrees of opacity and transparency, and also allows natural light to penetrate deep into the space while reducing
glare. The density of layering almost disappears completely at the front façade of the Carnegie building, thus revealing the showcase
object. The area of the facility will increase from an existing 7,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet, organized on two levels
connected by stairs and a double-height space located around the perimeter of the Carnegie building. The design for the
redevelopment originates with the existing building and has evolved into a series of visually and physically linked spaces defined by
differing architectural qualities of size, materials, light and views. The design opposes the modern standard of a library as a neutral
warehouse space with unlimited flexibility and an undefined physical presence. In order to ensure the relevancy of the library
redevelopment design for the future, anticipated growth areas within the building have been accommodated without sacrifice to the
architecturally defined spaces in the current design so that each of the individual rooms will maintain its intended use while being
capable of absorbing volume increases. Monteyne: Of all the entries, it is this project that best exemplifies the potential of
architecture to create exceptional experiences within the realm of day to day life. The parti of this project is simplicity itself, and yet
complexity and exceptional beauty result from the subtle variations in the plan and manipulation of tectonic elements such as
cladding. Shnier: The proverbial "ship-in-a-bottle," this proposal is straightforward and unapologetic in the way in which it
subsumes the historic structure. This practical and bold proposition is unencumbered by extraneous architectural mumbo-jumbo.
For this project to be possible, it would have to have a client that is as fluent in the potential of the gesture as the architect is.
Yarinsky: This is a clear, elegant solution to the problem of expanding an existing historic building. Old and new co-exist in an
unexpected way through conceiving of the new as a kind of "wrapper," rather than a separate building. The fine scale of the texture
of this "wrapper" defers to the character of the existing building. At the same time, the wrapper is not neutral, but is composed of
several layers that change to achieve varying levels of transparency.
Client: Cambridge Libraries and Galleries, Architect team: Alar Kongats, Sofia Di Sabatino, Philip Toms, Danielle Lam-Kulczak,
Samer Hoot, Tim Lee, Structural: Egberts Engineering Ltd., Mechanical: Lam Associates Ltd., Electrical: Lam Associates Ltd.
( http://www.canadianarchitect.com)
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