The interior renovation of Odegaard Undergraduate Library at the University of Washington is an astonishing transformation of space in an outmoded building, as well as a re-imagining of the learning experience for students in the 21st century. ‘Finding’ 6500sf of space within the existing structure eliminated the need to add additional square footage and enabled this 1970’s era building to be brought current to meet the changing needs of students.
Serving an astounding 10,000 students a day, 24 hours per day, the massive 165,000 square-foot library is an essential academic resource at the heart of the campus. Constructed forty years ago with few improvements since, the building’s inability to keep pace with shifts in learning, technology and energy use dictated a long overdue update. The team worked with faculty to identify a set of learning behaviors the building needed to support, then developed an architectural ‘kit of parts’ to specifically address each one: active learning, discovery of collection, consultation, prototyping, informal learning, individual study, and production. Each piece of the “kit” is color-coded to highlight its significance within the academic experience.
The existing atrium was effectively reinvented to become the true “heart” of the building, both functionally and architecturally. Removal of the main atrium stair--replacing it with a more efficient staircase--revealed significantly more usable informal study and gathering area. Overhead, a new large skylight adds both light and an ‘airiness’ to the three-story atrium.
View Original