continued

"What a noble building," commented the jury. "The exteriors are extraordinary and there is great integration with the landscape."

Public Library in Scottsdale

The Scottsdale Public Library's Arabian Library in Scottsdale, Arizona, rises at oblique angles from a desert landscape. Visitors enter the building through a narrow passageway, evocative of a desert slot canyon, that opens out into a courtyard adjacent to the lobby. Architects richärd + bauer architecture combined glass, rusted steel, and terra cotta into an exterior at once solid, transparent, and reflective.

The 20,900-square-foot (1,940-square-meter) library wraps around that central courtyard, with different program areas defined by folds of the building structure. Much of the space constitutes an expansive reading room, clad in acoustically absorbent perforated wood paneling.

Steel-clad walls and glass panes also define two smaller exterior courtyards to the south and west, providing daylight into nearly all the occupied spaces. Currently undergoing LEED certification, the building also includes native-plant roof gardens; air stratification to minimize cooling demand in the high-volume space; and 32-foot- (9.8-meter-) high walls shading the main courtyard. The AIA/ALA jury praised the architects for balancing daylighting with thermal control.

Cultural Complex in China

Another courtyard-centric building, at a much larger scale, is the new Chongqing Library in Chongqing, China. Both the traditional Chinese courtyard dwelling and the multistory halls of traditional Western libraries informed the design, by Perkins Eastman.

The 50,000-square-meter (540,000-square-foot) library serves as a multipurpose urban cultural center, containing not only book stacks, reading rooms, computer learning facilities, and archives, but also an exhibit hall, public theater, conference center, and cafe, and even a guest suite for visiting scholars. The Third Design and Research Institute served as associate architect for the complex.

In a departure from Chinese tradition, the courtyard is open to public view from the outside, although it is accessible only through the building's secured reading rooms. Approaching the library, visitors see a sculptural reflecting pool that cascades into the central courtyard garden one level below the sidewalk.

Glazing covers almost the entire building, intended to convey the accessibility of the library and the knowledge contained within. A dot pattern on the glass mitigates heat gain and glare, with text — quotes from significant historical figures — layered over that pattern. Inside and out, native stone echoes the exteriors of older structures surrounding the library.

"The project is able to express its Chinese identity while being modern and forward-looking," commented the jury.

Central Library in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Central Library by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects is a vibrant new civic and cultural destination in downtown Minneapolis. Located on a site between two of the city's busiest thoroughfares, the 353,000-square-foot (32,800-square-meter) library comprises two simple rectangular volumes, one aligned with each street, separated by an enclosed public space, the Library Commons.

"The atrium is a terrific urban design contribution connecting two main streets," commended the jury.

The two main volumes recall warehouse lofts: large, open floors structured by a grid of concrete columns, with no interior load-bearing walls, allowing the library flexibility to accommodate future changes. Its current configuration dedicates space for children, recent immigrants to the United States, and business-information seekers, with a teen area designed by teens.

The exterior combines glass walls with strips of ochre Minnesota limestone at each floor. Frit patterns on the glazing depict photographic images of water ripples, birch trees, snowy branches, and prairie grasses, conveying a sense of the Minnesota landscape. The metal "wing" that extends over the commons creates an understated landmark, visible from afar.

An underfloor ventilation system reduces cooling costs by 20 percent, and the combination of extensive daylighting and energy-efficient light fixtures helps the building exceed Minnesota energy code requirements by 27 percent. Other sustainable features include recycled-content materials and an 18,500-square-foot (1,720-square-meter) drought-resistant roof garden.

Branch Library in the Bronx

For the Francis Martin Library, a New York Public Library branch in the Bronx, 1100 Architect transformed a dark 1956 building into a bright, colorful modern library. A highlight of the 4,000-square-foot (370-square-meter) facility is the renovated second-floor children's reading room.

A new open-plan configuration improves circulation and extends access to panoramic views. The feature elements of the design are bold and graphic, with a pallet of oranges, greens, and blues, offset by glossy white.   >>>

Discuss this article in the Architecture Forum...

SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE A shaded upper-floor patio overlooks the entry plaza of the Guanajuato State Library. Photo: Alberto Moreno Guzmán Extra Large Image Architects richärd + bauer designed the steel-clad Arabian Library in Scottsdale, Arizona. Photo: © Bill Timmerman Photography Extra Large Image The narrow entry path at the Arabian Library is reminiscent of slot canyons in northern Arizona. Photo: © Bill Timmerman Photography Extra Large Image The entry sequence at the Arabian Library culminates in a central courtyard. Photo: © Bill Timmerman Photography Extra Large Image The new Chongqing Library building by Perkins Eastman replaces a 1947 facility established as one of five Chinese national libraries. Photo: © Zhi Hui/ Courtesy Perkins Eastman Extra Large Image At the Chongqing Library in Chongqing, China, reading rooms were envisioned as floating platforms in a forest of Y-shaped columns. Photo: © Zhi Hui/ Courtesy Perkins Eastman Extra Large Image The new Minneapolis Central Library building was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. Photo: Jessie Quan Extra Large Image Two five-story wings enfront a clerestory-lit linear through-atrium at the Minneapolis Central Library. Photo: Pete Sieger Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.