Looking Snazzy, on the Inside
The first ALA/IIDA awards show off style
By Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 9/15/2006
There were oohs and ahs galore at the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference in New Orleans in June, as librarians, architects, and interior designers gathered for the inaugural ceremony for the biennial ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Award, sponsored by ALA and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
The awards were judged by two interior design professionals and two librarians (Susan Kent of New York Public Library and William Sannwald, retired, San Diego Public Library). The awards emphasize excellence in aesthetics, design creativity, function, and satisfaction of the client's objectives.
WINNERS
The competition includes multiple categories, but some received more worthy entries than others, as the list below acknowledges. All are Honor Awards, unless otherwise noted. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology's new library (p. 5) won Best in Show.
Academic Libraries
30,000 SQ. FT. AND SMALLER
OVER 30,000 SQ. FT.
Legat Architects, Chicago
Diamond & Schmidt Architects, Toronto
The library wanted to focus on access to electronic collections, plus study and lounge space for 750 students, and the architects delivered, so much so that the 73,130 square foot library won the competition's top honor. Large study halls overlook the commons and provide a variety of seating. Enclosed rooms support group study, seminar discussion, and quiet work. A 60-seat café overlooks the reflecting pool/ice rink and stormwater pond. The library also represents sustainable design, as it received Gold certification in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
EHDD Architecture, San Francisco
Baker Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Robert A.M. Stern Architects, New York
Public Libraries
30,000 SQ. FT. AND SMALLER
Honorable Mention
Hershenow & Killenstein, Omaha
With 11,000 square feet, nearly doubling the size of its predecessor, this branch much better serves this small community near Lake Tahoe. Indigenous materials such as stone and heavy timber construction help the building fit its surroundings. Soft light is diffused through a continuous translucent skylight along the ridge of the sloped roof. Patrons gain good reading spots and views through large glass windows. A stone fireplace surrounded by overstuffed chairs serves as a focal point.
Richard + Bauer Architects, Phoenix
The architects (who won three awards at the competition) deployed furniture groups, dramatic color, and collection displays to help define spaces. The 10,000 square foot library includes a separate teen area, open PC access computer space, and homework training rooms. Large shading roof forms help frame panoramic mountain views to the north. The roof design protects the interior from direct sunlight. Under the lowest portion of the roof are meeting rooms, computer rooms, and the children's section, while the higher portion houses open collections and reading areas. An exterior reading court opens to the mountain vista.
International District/Chinatown Branch, Seattle Public Library
Miller Hayashi Architects, Seattle
OVER 30,000 SQ. FT.
Special Merit award
Diamond & Schmidt Architects, Toronto
The 36,000 square foot library has been planned for the flexible future, so managers can swap book stacks for Internet access stations as technology evolves. The building includes a computer lab, while the youth services area offers computer stations near the reference desk for instruction and assistance. The double-height Internet café protrudes from the library's two-story façade. The ground floor offers a children's program room and casual reading areas, while the second floor is quieter, for more focused study.
ImaginOn, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC
Gantt Huberman Architects with Holzman Moss Architecture, Charlotte, NC
ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center represents an unusual partnership between the library's youth services division and the Children's Theatre of Charlotte. The result: a unique facility that involves the written, spoken, and electronic word. The 160,000 square foot institution, located within Charlotte's Arts District, incorporates 570- and 250-seat professional theaters, children's and teen's library spaces, a blue-screen theater, and a children's storytelling room with a puppet theater, threaded by a circular ramp. The building itself is designed to stimulate interpretation and imagination.
Single Space
Nashville Public Library Civil Rights Collection
Tuck-Hinton Architects, Nashville
Special Libraries
30,000 SQ. FT. AND SMALLER
Edward E. Hale Public School 106 Library, Brooklyn, NY
Rockwell Group, New York
Innovation in Sustainable Design
Desert Broom Branch, Phoenix Public Library
Richard + Bauer Architects, Phoenix
On the Boards (not yet built)
Arabian Branch, Scottsdale Public Library, AZ
Richard + Bauer Architects, Phoenix
| Author Information |
| Norman Oder is News Editor, LJ |
