•
22,500 SF
• Children Library
• Young Adults
• Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction
• InformationTechnologyCenter
• EMS Station
Set along a commercial shopping
strip highway, Kirkwood Public Library is designed as a roadside billboard
announcing the public civic function of reading, learning and exploration. The
objective was to create a new branch library for a growing diverse community in
an accessible area that would serve as the iconic community center of the
neighborhood. Shopping malls and fast food restaurants flank both sides of the
site. Large graphic signs litter the highway where this library is sited and a
small scale residential neighborhood is set one block in from the highway site.
It is within this context, that the
Kirkwood Public Library appears as a collection of books set on the highway for
the community to use. Facing the highway, the building façade of stacked
horizontal cement board siding is fashioned as a series of boxes that represent
the edge of books piled up on their side. The result of stark geometric
abstract forms effectively signs the building and its function to the community
along this aggressively commercial environment. Adjacent to the residential
neighborhood, a double height canopy cantilevers from the façade like,
providing shelter to the front door. At the western end of the site, a glazed
two story reading room is covered in a cedar solar screen. The screen permits
desirable views out while controlling solar gain and day light harvesting.
Internally, the program is arranged along the length of the highway to increase
visibility and to shelter the entry side from traffic.
The Kirkwood Public Library
integrates environmentally friendly, high performance green elements. The
greatest use of energy in a library is heating ventilation and air conditioning
and lighting. We have taken steps to reduce energy consumption, water
consumption and reduce volatile organic compositions in materials.
• Natural day lightings and views:
The large
glazed south and west ends of the reading room and light monitor over the
children’s area allows the County the option to keep the lights off during the
day. The lighting specified will have two levels of switching allowing for
controlled light levels and energy use depending on day lighting conditions.
•
Solar Screen and sun shade:
The building consists of a custom
solar shade on the south and western ends of the building that permits views
out; allows diffused sunlight in and shields heat gain thereby reducing the
load on the air conditioning system and reducing energy consumption.
•
Low consumption Plumbing Fixtures:
The bathrooms will utilize low water
use toilets, urinals and lavatory faucets.
•
Recyclable and Low VOC materials:
The interior and exterior of the
building is composed of recyclable and environmentally friendly materials such
as: natural cedar trim; recyclable carpet; recyclable acoustical ceiling
panels; etc.
•
Bio Retention Basins:
The storm water detention is
controlled and filtered on site.