Arch2O.com

Arch2O.com - Architecture & Design Magazine
The expansion of a 1970s Brutalist style _ Lawrence Public Library  in downtown_ , Kansas has transformed it architecturally, reinventing it as a 21st century civic place. The existing library, designed by Lawrence architecture firm Robertson, Peters Ericson, Williams P.A. and constructed in 1972, was uninviting due to poor thermal performance, difficult wayfinding and a lack of daylighting and openness.
Courtesy of Gould Evans – Photographs : Tim Griffith, Mike Sinclair
Library attendance was down, particularly with younger generations. Through extensive community dialogue, the citizens of Lawrence voiced their thoughts and established key design considerations for the project, including an enhanced children?s area, greater access to technology and an emphasis on environmental sustainability. The citizens recognized the significance of the library?s location in the community and the opportunity it provided to establish a new ?place? within the downtown area. Gould Evans responded with a design that addresses the changing role of the library: from book repository to multimedia community hub. Courtesy of Gould Evans – Diagram
The design for the addition is based on a simple expansion diagram. A continuous reading room wraps the existing library on all sides, transforming it into a forward-looking, community-centered place. Each new elevation opens up to a different public constituency: neighborhoods to...