With the ubiquity of the Internet and the ease of buying or downloading books online, library memberships are becoming a thing of the past. Who can blame the public, really, when the traditional library calls to mind dusty books and claustrophobic aisles flooded in fluorescent light?
However, it’s precisely society’s Web dependence and the way this distracts us from interpersonal relationships that has pressed home the need for libraries as a communal space. The raison d’etre remains to provide free access to information, whether via computers or through physical books. But today, libraries have to provide modern and relevant platforms for young people to pursue their interests too – even if this isn’t reading. As civic spaces, they draw people together, encouraging inclusivity and togetherness, values that deserve much promulgation in the 21st century.
Using design, the following four libraries have been transformed from mere book depositories into sexy new spaces. They have revitalised neighbourhoods, increased visitor numbers and burnished the reputation of their home cities. Some people aren’t thrilled – they’re the ones who like reading in quiet libraries – but, then again, they’re in the minority these days.
NATURE-INSPIRED
WHAT: Louisville Free Public Library South Central Regional Branch, Kentucky
Of the four, this library hews closest to the traditional, with its focus on books and learning, paired with a deep respect for nature. Completed in 2017, the trapezoidal building by JRA Architects is situated among trees that were once part of a vast forest. Care was taken to preserve them, but those that had to be felled were repurposed into lumber design features. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows allow views of the greenery and daylight to spill in, with reflective finishes reducing electricity consumption. Inside, the building – made of metal, glass and stainless steel – has a futuristic feel, with angled walls, metal strips and overhangs. Despite its one-level structure, this building offers an abundance of space with its high ceilings and open layout, such that one doesn’t feel hemmed in. It’s no wonder over 2,800 new library cards were reportedly issued within six months of its opening.
