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HONORABLE MENTION: Redesign your school library | 2013 National High School Architecture Competition #389

By RMcDonnell4 | L Redesign your school library

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Design Challenge Background

Libraries are no longer being used as places to store and distribute books, nor do they serve as place for only studying. With changes in technology libraries have been forced to change their ways of operating and instead of closing their doors they are adapting by becoming People-Centric instead of being Book-Centric. They become community resources for collaborating, creating, and making.

Design Challenge Brief

The challenge is to redesign your high school library and re-think how your school’s library should, or could, function as technology advances and our notion of study and working changes accordingly. What does a library look like that is designed around a person’s knowledge needs instead of only storing and cataloging books?

You may redesign the interior of the existing library space, expand on the existing space, or design a completely new addition on to your school building. Your design should contain all the spaces and functions required for a typical school library – a variety of seating options for students (inside and out!), as well as book and media storage, space for the librarian, computer areas, audio/visual labs, and meeting spaces. You may also want to include a cafe, information kiosk, or a workshop area. The redesigned library should include ideas for both old and new ideas for a library. You should also consider sustainability issues and the environmental impact of your design.

What should I upload in this Overview step?

Write a short description of the problems you will be trying to solve in redesigning your school library.

What is the Design Process?

How do you start a project? How do you get from the design problem to the final design? Learn more about the design process here.

During this project I will be redesigning my school library. In the process I will be making the library more economically and energy efficient, as well as adding key features to make our great library into a exceptional library. The first step I will be taking to do this is collecting information. Through collecting info I will be talking to the people who use our library such as the students and faculty. In doing so I came up with a good idea about what is wrong with its current design.

Problems:
1.) Not enough computer space
2.) Heating and Cooling issues
3.) Outdoor space needed
4.) Better traffic flow
5.) More lounge space

Solutions:
1.) Utilizing surrounding classrooms for extra space
2.) Replacing the skylight windows with low-e triple pane glazed windows as well as the windows surrounding the courtyard
3.) Using the senior courtyard for outdoor reading space
4.) Special paths in the floor as well as placement of furniture to provide exceptional traffic flow
6.) The expansion of the library leaves the surrounding areas available for lounge space

Overall, through the design loop, I am going to be designing the school library to be more socially and economically friendly to the students and faculty members of the school as well as more energy efficient.

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In the Collect Info step of the design process, you try to gather as much information as possible about your existing school library, along with the students and staff who will use it.  You can't propose new solutions until you figure out and document what the existing problems are.

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Think About

 

  • How many students need to be seated in the library during one period?
  • What types of furniture is used in the existing library? Does it need to be movable? Why or why not?

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  • Interview students, librarians, and other staff about what they think of the existing library.  What changes would they make to spaces if they had a choice?
  • Make a list of those features that you really like about how your library looks and functions.
  • Make separate list of all the ways that your current library is not so well designed (chairs may be uncomfortable or the light is poor, or there are really great outdoor reading areas).

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  • Take measurements of the overall dimensions of your existing library.
  • Take interior photos of the hallways and entrances that lead into your existing library.

Think About

  • What are the different pathways that students use to get into the library now?
  • What types of media are available in your library? How are they stored? Are books an important part of your library?

 

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  • Visit Flickr or another photo sharing site and search for other types of libraries to determine good and bad examples of how libraries accommodate user’s needs, especially teens. 
  • Post images of buildings, colors, designs, textures, or other things that inspire you in this step. Make sure you give credit to your source!

Think About

  • Does your new school library need to look like the same typical library with long stack of books?  What other study spaces around the world are inspiring and interesting?

What should I upload in this Collect Info step?

Consider uploading photos, a short video, and a site plan drawing of your existing school library. Help us understand the existing conditions and the location of this room.

How do I collect Information?

How can collecting information help me with the design problem? Learn ways to collect information that will help you with the design process here.

RMcDonnell4's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
I collected information in many different ways. One of the questions that popped up in my head in this process was what will libraries be like in the future?
This image made in adobe photoshop, displays the current traffic flow of the library as well as the...
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This is the current view of the library standing from the side closest to the presentation area....
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This is the current presentation area in our library and is currently used by faculty and students...
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This is what the current lighting in our library looks like. The modern design of the lighting...
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This is the faculty cyber-cafe. It is mainly used used as a teachers lounge but is also used as a...
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These are the current hallways surrounding the library. These hallways are going to play a crucial...
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This is an image of one of the several skylight windows in our library. During certain parts of the...
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In the Brainstorm Ideas step of the design process, you put some early ideas down on paper that show what you've found in the Collect Info step.  You also might take more photos to show specific new ideas you have. 

The simple diagrams you make here will help you understand how the existing library location and design compare with your new ideas.

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  • Walk around the exterior of your school building and take photos of possible locations for your new library with outdoor seating.
  • Draw a floorplan of your existing library and include it in this step.
  • You may also want to include a site plan of your school, showing where the library fits into the school.

Think About

  • Will this library replace your school's existing library or become an addition to a different part of the building? Will it be built in an empty lot or space?  Will it be underground or built on the roof?  You decide.

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  • Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photo of your school. 

Think About

  • Spend some time looking at the aerial photo of your school.  What types of other buildings surround your school?  Homes, businesses, parks, parking lots, or an empty field?  How will these other buildings impact the design of your new library?
  • What types of streets surround your school? Are they busy or quiet?     

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  • On a piece of tracing paper placed over the aerial photo of your school, sketch a diagram showing a large arc around the building to show the path of the sun throughout the day.  This drawing is called a site analysis diagram.  (Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.)
  • Draw other lines on this diagram to indicate the best views around the building.

Think About

  • Based on the site analysis diagram you've sketched, where is the sun located throughout the school day? 
  • How can the indoor and outdoor seating areas of your new library be positioned to take advantage of the sunlight for good lighting?

What should I upload in this Brainstorm Ideas step?

Consider uploading hand sketches or a quick study model of all your first ideas. You can scan these drawings or take photos of your model.

How do I brainstorm ideas?

Brainstorming ideas is your first step towards making an informed decision to the design solution. Learn more about that here.

RMcDonnell4's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
There are several different ways how I thought about creating new ideas in the library. The first was thinking over the question "What are libraries going to be like in the future?".
During the process of brainstorming ideas for the library design, I branched off to thoughts about...
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This is a diagram of what the potential expansion space for the library will be. Area number 1 is...
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This is a sun and wind diagram as well a site plan for the school. The sun is crucial to the new...
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This is a current satellite view from google earth of my school showing the site view of the...
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There are several different modern things that I would like to incorporate into the new modern...
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One of the ideas that came to mind was utilizing the senior courtyard space. This space is...
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This is a rough sketch just to get a general idea of the floor plans for my new design...
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In the Develop Solutions step, your rough ideas come together with drawings and models that can show others your solutions for a new library.

Important! Since DiscoverDesign is about investigating the design process, the other people viewing your project - other students around the country, your teacher, and the mentors - want to see how your ideas have changed over time. This means that while you're working on your digital model, you’ll want to be sure to keep re-saving it with a new file name every few days as you work through the steps.

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  • Draw a sketch or use software such as Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, or Revit to illustrate your ideas.  You can upload photos (JPG files) from your SketchUp model, video fly throughs (FLV files) of your SketchUp model, or drawings (DWF files) from AutoCAD.

 

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  • Consider including the following types of spaces and furnishings:
    - indoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - outdoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - book storage (shelves)
    - media storage
    - audio / visual labs
    - computers
    - meeting spaces
    - librarian desk (place to check out or return materials)
    - small office for library staff
    - cafe
    - bins for recycyling

What should I upload in this Develop Solutions step?

Consider uploading images (JPG, GIF) of your rough digital model. It's ok if your model is still a work in progress. Show an axonometric or perspective view with people, which will help others understand the scale of your library.

RMcDonnell4's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
After I finished collecting information and brainstorming ideas I started making my a 3D model in Revit showing all of my new ideas and research.
This is a diagram of what a Low-E (low-emissivity) triple pane window looks like. To solve the...
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First floor plan
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2nd floor plan
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This is a 3D view of the new computer lab
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This is a 3D view of the main library
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This is a 3D view of the online student room and cyber cafe
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This is a 3D view of the senior courtyard
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The final step of the design process is to create more finished drawings that illustrate your ideas to others. Remember, your explanation text, and the types of drawings, images, and models you share need to tell the whole story of your project to someone who may or may not have ever visited your school.

 

 

Continue to collect feedback from your peers, teachers and the online community to help you improve on your final design. Be sure to review and add constructive comments on the work of other students who are solving the same design problem. If your ideas change, be sure to explain your thinking and let others know about the new work you have posted to your account.

You might want to share floor plans, elevations, renderings of your digital model, photos of a physical model, or a video animation of your model.

But you aren't done yet! Be sure to comment on other projects in the competition to foster, encourage, and build an online design community of learners in DiscoverDesign.  CAF will also recognize students that provide both encouragement and constructive criticism on students' work throughout the run of the competition.

What should I upload in this Final Design step?

Consider uploading final hand or digital renderings, images of your finished physical model, or your finished digital model (as a DWF file).

How do I know I have my final design?

Consider all of the design considerations you made in your last step. Use feedback from students, teachers, and mentors to finalize your design. Learn more about finishing your design here.

RMcDonnell4's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
Throughout the design loop I have finally reached a final design. I tried taking all of the different variables into consideration when constructing and creating ideas.
This is a rendering of the main entrance when you first walk into the library through the entrance...
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This is rendering of the online student room entrance.
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This is the final rendering of the library in its whole with all of the new additions included into...
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This is a rendering of the new cyber cafe facing out towards the library.
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This is a rendering the new computer lab from the lounge area.
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This is a rendering from the librarians desk looking up to the computer lab and lounge.
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This is the interactive dwf. file of the entire project
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