Students: Alex Szybbo and Simone Mauro
Instructor: Howard Davies
U3 - Fall 2019
Our design was informed by formal and experiential qualities of the generic building type. We sought to express these qualities in a contemporary way, yet through an exterior form and interior divisions that remain simple.
We gave our generic building a repetitive facade in which the traditionally carved ornamentation is replaced by protruding bricks.
We saw the reading room as a fundamental component of a 19th century generic library. The grandeur of such spaces with high ceilings and large windows inspired us to create a triple height silent workspace on the west side of the building.
At the core of the building, a central atrium ensures natural lighting throughout the four floors. At its base, the entrance and the most public functions are located. Above, open to the atrium, is a non-silent working area for adults. We aimed to create a sharp separation between quiet and loud functions by creating a closed reading room and closed rooms for lively young children. We aimed as well to organize functions around the atrium according to their need for public access.
We imagined the additional program of our library to relate to artistic workshops or performance arts classes.This program is twofold and is distributed in two locations in the building. On one hand the ateliers, classes and rehearsals are meant to take place at the top floor of the building, whereas space from the ground floor is dedicated as exhibition space for the work produced, and may serve as performance space.
