Breslin Architects originally designed this library in 1994 utilizing the original 1957 library structure. Twenty years later, the college asked Breslin Architects to upgrade the library interiors to create a rejuvenated 21st century learning and research center.
The primary element of the renovation is a newly imagined vault running the length of the library. The college’s staff selected excerpts of iconic written works representing their different departments. These excerpts were then imprinted onto the vault’s surface. The text creates a textured pattern for the vault’s ceiling and when viewed attentively, allows students to discover the rich content that encompasses them in their new learning center.
The majority of the shelving on the main floor was removed to transform the space into a new learning commons. A variety of movable seating promotes flexibility for both individual study and for group learning. Glass-partitioned study rooms and a large classroom with interactive technologies showcase the activities within the library and allow for groups to collaborate within their own spaces.
The existing standing-height circulation desk was replaced with a new concierge type desk. A new coffee house was added to allow students to break away from their studies while remaining in the library. The coffee house also serves as a staging kitchen for special events held in the atrium reading room.
