Sculptural partitions and tangerine hues function in a public library by New York studio WORKac that’s housed in a former torpedo manufacturing unit.
Adams Avenue Library is the primary new department established by the Brooklyn library system in additional than 20 years.
Located alongside the East River underneath the Manhattan Bridge, the library is inside a historic district within the Dumbo neighbourhood. It’s housed in a 1901, multi-storey constructing that was as soon as a torpedo manufacturing unit, and later, a recycling facility.
The constructing now accommodates flats and business areas, together with the 6,500-square-foot (604-square-metre) library, which occupies a portion of the bottom degree.
“The design takes inspiration from this layered historical past,” mentioned native studio Work Structure Firm, referred to as WORKac.
“The dialogue between outdated and new continues all through the area.”
The unique, brick perimeter partitions – which have weathered over time – have been left uncovered. The doorway is marked with a pink and white super-graphic that reads LIBRARY.
“This signal was accredited by the Landmarks Fee, who famous its artistic use of the precedent set by historic painted indicators within the neighbourhood,” the staff mentioned.
“Seen from throughout the East River, it offers a transparent identification and invitation to this very important public amenity.”
Inside the library, historic parts are combined with up to date options. Tall, 15-foot (4.6-metre) home windows usher in daylight and afford views of the environment.
In a number of areas, patinated brick is contrasted with pixelated, nature-themed murals. Overhead, a heavy timber ceiling was left seen by curved openings.
Areas are organized round a central pavilion with sculptural partitions product of medium-density fibreboard with a maple veneer. A customized sample was created through CNC milling.
The enclosure options curvaceous openings and niches for e book storage and stroller parking.
Inside the pavilion is a youngsters’s space with vivid orange hues, steps for sitting and enjoying, and area for storytime. This zone is barely elevated, enabling kids to see out over the principle studying room and look towards the river and Manhattan skyline.
Past the central pavilion, there may be an assortment of areas and programming geared towards teen and grownup patrons.
Amongst them are open studying areas fitted with tables with built-in charging stations, and two multipurpose rooms with stackable chairs, foldable tables, whiteboards and kitchenettes.
Extra areas embrace gender-inclusive loos and a workers zone.
The constructing serves residents of Dumbo, together with Vinegar Hill and a big public housing venture known as the Farragut Homes.
The design was influenced by intensive neighborhood outreach led by the architects.
The library was designed to place “youngsters at its centre” based mostly on neighborhood suggestions, which “indicated that youngsters’s areas and programming have been missing – and essential – to residents throughout the various neighbourhoods,” the staff mentioned.
Different libraries in New York Metropolis embrace the art-deco-style Brooklyn Central Library, which was lately revamped by Toshiko Mori, and the Steven Holl-designed Hunters Level Library in Queens, which options massive, irregularly formed home windows.
The images is by Bruce Damonte.
Venture credit:
Architect: WORKac
Structure staff: Amale Andraos and Dan Wooden (principals), Evgeniya Plotnikova and Troy Lacombe (venture architects), Zahid Ajam, Nevin Blum, Ania Yee-Boguinskaia, Giorgia Cedro, Leslie Dougrou, Kelly Lee
Structural engineering: LERA
MEP: DOSE Engineering
Lighting: Tillotson Design Associates
Graphics: Linked By Air
Contractor: Shawmut Design & Development
Code: CCBS Consultants
AV/IT: Cerami
Price: Costrak Consulting
