22-02-2012

New York Public Library, Battery Park City Branch, designed by 1100:architect is about to be LEED Gold certified and has been presented with a 2012 Interiors Award for public spaces

abstract

If you still think of public libraries as dark, closed places, temples of knowledge reserved for an elect few, you really ought to take a look at the Battery Park City Branch of the New York Public Library.New York has a new public library that is an invitation to explore books, with bright, well-lit spaces that dialogue with the urban landscape around them and cosy, well-lit reading rooms.

The library designed by 1100:architect, on the ground floor and first floor of a residential tower block, is intended precisely to promote this kind of direct relationship with users. The glass façade attracts attention, especially to the section for children, who are encouraged to pick up the books and explore them.

The library is self-service and set up to be intuitive to help readers find the books they are free to access.The interior is divided into three separate areas (entrance, first floor and mezzanine level) with a dynamic ceiling which acts as a unifying element, an effect reinforced by the stairway inviting visitors to discover the upper level.

The library’s interior design is based on the concept of sustainability, taking into account the “life cyle” of the materials and using recycled steel for the bookshelves, doors and frames, scrap wood from certified FSC suppliers and flooring made from used inner tubes.

To save energy the intensity of the lighting may be adjusted according to the amount of natural daylight available. Energy-saving light fixtures have been installed with presence detectors in the less commonly used parts of the library. The library’s energy requirements are met entirely by renewable sources.

The result is an innovative public space which is truly user-friendly for people of all ages, encouraging people to experience not only literature but sustainable architecture in a light-hearted, playful way.

As well as qualifying for Leed Gold certification thanks to its excellent environmental performance, the project by 1100:architects of New York and Frankfurt, Germany won the award for “Public Spaces” in the 33rd Annual Interior Awards in 2012, selected by a panel of judges from the world of design.

Design: 1100:architect New York, Frankfurt, http://www.1100architect.com, http://twitter.com/1100architect
Construction Manager: The LiRo Group
General Contractor: Cauldwell Wingate Company
Location: New York, USA
Client: The New York Public Library, Photographs: Michael Moran/ottoarchive, Eduard Hueber/Archphoto

GALLERY