“Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities.”
That statement by R. David Lankes, a professor at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, was a bit controversial when he tweeted it back in February of 2012.
But now, in July of 2019, it seems as though many architects and designers agree; a library should go beyond being just a collection of books, and instead become all-inclusive community learning centers (with the key word here being “community”).
And what better way to highlight the community aspect than to incorporate it directly within (or, in some cases, above) the library itself.
Related content: Top 110 Cultural Sector Architecture Firms
Related content: Top 70 Cultural Sector Engineering Firms
Related content: Top 65 Cultural Sector Construction Firms
Both the Milwaukee Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library have recently completed or are nearing completion on branches that, in addition to their collections of books, also include features such as maker spaces, recording studios, and apartment units.
The HGA-designed Mitchell Street Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library, created from the former Hills Department Store originally built in 1919, is a shining example of the library design direction many municipalities are champing at the bit to head in.
The library, which occupies 23,000 sf across the ground level, mezzanine, and lower level of the renovated building, isn’t interested in the stereotypical musty spaces filled with librarians who’s glasses are perched precariously on the tips of their noses. Instead of a maze of domineering stacks filled with suppressive shushers, the Mitchell Street library provides bright, open spaces capable of hosting events like, say, a Mexican-style professional wrestling show dubbed “Crush the Shush.”
In addition to quarreling luchadores, the Mitchell Street library also includes amenities such as a maker space with tech lockers, a graphics workstation, a 3D printer, and audio mixing equipment; a recording booth; and a kitchen for demonstrations on healthy cooking and eating.
‘Bad libraries build collections,
good libraries build services, great
libraries build communities.’
— R. David Lankes, Syracuse University School of Information Studies
A highly visible storefront display area connects people on the street to the activities occurring within and design details such as restored historic elements and roll-up doors painted by local youth artists combine to create a bright, transparent interior that forgoes the typical library aesthetic.
Other amenities include a 120-person community room, a young adult zone, an open children’s area, a staff workroom with automated material handling, an intergenerational living room with a fireplace, and a mezzanine reading balcony. And to top it all off, literally and figuratively, 60 market-rate apartments are located on the upper floors to create a brand new living and learning community under one roof.
Similarly, the Sunset Park Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (slated for a December 2020 completion and designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning) comprises eight stories and 21,000 sf. The library encompasses the first two and a half floors of the building, while the remaining five and a half floors house 50 affordable residences for qualified low-income occupants. Reading spaces, learning spaces, and a community room are also included in the design.
Libraries aren’t the only cultural buildings getting in the community spirit
But libraries aren’t the only cultural facilities branching out and trying to offer more than has been expected of them in the past. Spaces for performing arts on university campuses are beginning to adapt and embrace interdisciplinary pedagogy. Take Macalester College’s new Theater, Dance, and Classroom building, designed by HGA, for example. Located in St. Paul, Minn., the new building links to the adjacent Olin-Rice Science Center to provide both a physical and a symbolic connection between the arts and the sciences.
The building includes a flexible performance space that allows for different seating and performance configurations, a 2,400-sf dance studio, and a smaller theater that can serve as a black box studio. And while you will find everything you would expect in a performing arts building, the new space also includes nine flexible classrooms that serve as teaching areas for classes ranging from the humanities to science.
The goal for performing arts spaces such as the Theater, Dance, and Classroom building, is to break down the walls between what were once disciplines on opposite ends of the spectrum, allowing them to instead work together and create a completely new learning experience. Similar to the ideas guiding library design, creating well-rounded cultural building communities is of the utmost importance.
MORE FROM BD+C'S 2019 GIANTS 300 REPORT
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Oct 19, 2023
Proportion of workforce based at home drops to lowest level since pandemic began
The proportion of the U.S. workforce working remotely has dropped considerably since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, but office vacancy rates continue to rise. Fewer than 26% of households have someone who worked remotely at least one day a week, down sharply from 39% in early 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau Household Pulse Surveys.
Luxury Residential | Oct 18, 2023
One Chicago wins 2023 International Architecture Award
One Chicago, a two-tower luxury residential and mixed-use complex completed last year, has won the 2023 International Architecture Award. The project was led by JDL Development and designed in partnership between architecture firms Goettsch Partners and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.
Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023
Top 130 Sports Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
Populous, Gensler, HOK, and HKS head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2023
The impact of office-to-residential conversion on downtown areas
Gensler's Duanne Render looks at the incentives that could bring more office-to-residential conversions to life.
Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023
Top 100 Industrial Sector Architecture Firms for 2023
Ware Malcomb, Arcadis, Stantec, and Gresham Smith top the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Products and Materials | Oct 10, 2023
‘Works with WELL’ product licensing program launched by International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) recently launched the Works with WELL product licensing program. Works with Well certification allows manufacturers to demonstrate that their products align with WELL strategies.
Mass Timber | Oct 10, 2023
New York City launches Mass Timber Studio to spur more wood construction
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) recently launched New York City Mass Timber Studio, “a technical assistance program to support active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design.”
Government Buildings | Oct 10, 2023
GSA names Elliot Doomes Public Buildings Service Commissioner
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that the agency’s Public Buildings Service Commissioner Nina Albert will depart on Oct. 13 and that Elliot Doomes will succeed her.
Esports Arenas | Oct 10, 2023
Modular esports arena attracts more than gamers
As the esports market continues to grow to unprecedented numbers, more facilities are being developed by universities and real estate firms each year.
Higher Education | Oct 10, 2023
Tracking the carbon footprint of higher education campuses in the era of online learning
With more effective use of their facilities, streamlining of administration, and thoughtful adoption of high-quality online learning, colleges and universities can raise enrollment by at least 30%, reducing their carbon footprint per student by 11% and lowering their cost per student by 15% with the same level of instruction and better student support.