The new Main Library in Yuma, Arizona is a 76.000 square foot facility
in the center of this fast-growing community and the anchor of a
six-facility County-wide Library system. The facility has a capacity of
over 250,000 volumes.
Wi Fi services, self-check, unique study areas, and specialized lighting
at the stacks make the library user friendly. The Youth Services area,
Children?s area, and a space for "Tweens" are uniquely designed for
their respective age groups. Four community rooms with flexible layout
and the central administration are also included in the design.
Two items stand out as key design factors. One was a simple and common
request: abundant natural light. Through the use of an innovative floor
plan the design team was able to maximize the amount of eastern and
northern light while almost eliminating exposure to hotter southern and
western sun. Emulating the grand reading rooms of another era, the
central space is a 2-story atrium flooded with natural light. Spaces
where natural light is not desired, situated along the southern facade,
serve as a thermal buffer.
The building?s northern facade is dominated by a series of outdoor
reading and activity spaces that visually flow to the interior through
the use of floor-to-ceiling glass that virtually eliminates solar heat
gain and glare.
The second request was to create a plan that would allow for a
drive-through return slot that could use the same sorting machine as the
walk-up return slot. And just to make it interesting could VCBO please
add a drive-through pick-up window as well? These functions have been
incorporated in the final design without the need for complex, expensive
conveyors or increased staff.
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