Mira Loma HS Library Re-Design

By Elite Designs | L Redesign your school library

Overview
Collect Info
Brainstorm Ideas
Develop Solutions
Final Design

Curious about the instructions for this library design problem? >>

Show

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.

The name of our architecture firm is Elite Designs. Elite describes our work as the the best, elect, and upper class. Our main goal is to design buildings that will be unique regardless whether they are simple or complex. These designs won’t only be unique in appearance, but will also be best quality. The words “Elite Designs” on our firm’s logo are in the form of an infinity sign which once more shows what our mission is: to create amazing designs that will be loved now and forever!

Director of Exterior Building Design: Daryna Kulinich
Director of Interior Building Design: Zina Mudrenco
Director of Interior Decor Design: Mariya Svityashchuk
Director of Landscape Design: Kate Khramtsova
Director of Sustainability & Energy: Roman Grom

The current school library at Mira Loma is simple in design and small for the number of students that attend the high school. A new design is needed to improve the interior and exterior of the library as well as the furniture and interior decor. The small library at times is filled with too many students, which affects the learning and working atmosphere, making it more difficult for students to concentrate on their work and study. Therefore, the new design should expand the size of the library. The interior should be designed to look more modern and the furniture replaced with ones that look better and are better in quality and in quantity. This situation with the size of the library has been a problem since the school was built since it never was rebuilt from the original design. This problem might have been taken into consideration by the district before, but possibly there were not enough funds to fix it. By the time we are done redesigning the Mira Loma School Library, it will be bigger in size, a better environment for the students, and better looking from inside out!

In 2010 Mira Loma High School celebrated its 50th anniversary. Built in 1960, Mira Loma High School is one of nine comprehensive high schools in the San Juan Unified School District, located in Sacramento County. With one primary feeder school and strong academic and extra-curricular programs, Mira Loma is a school of choice for many of San Juan as well as out of district students. The school is located in a suburban community, with students from a wide spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds. This diversity is a valuable asset that strengthens and enriches our community. Mira Loma High School is a comprehensive high school with 1665 students. This represents an increase in enrollment of about a hundred students over the previous year. Enrollment is favorably affected by students from outside Mira Loma’s attendance area. These students choose to attend Mira Loma for its outstanding IB, MYP, IS, and Passport programs. From this pool, Mira Loma attracts 353 inter-district students and 80 intra-district students. Mira Loma currently has 451 freshmen, 435 sophomores, 423 juniors, and 356 seniors.
Mira Loma High School also has 66 teachers,4 counselors, 3 administrators, and 25 of support staff personnel

Curious about the instructions for this step of this library design problem? >>

Show

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.

Try This

Walk around the interior of your school building and take photos or a short video of the existing library. You can upload those photos or short videos here. Be sure to write a detailed description for every image. (If your school grants access to YouTube, check out this short video that some students in Chicago made about the design of their school building.)

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?

Try This

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).

Try This

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?

Try This

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?

Elite Designs's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary

The space is very limited, there is no specific workplace for Mrs. Gibson to sort out books, and only about two classes can fit at a time.

Exterior

0 comments

Exterior Emergency Exit

0 comments

Library entrance from school hallway

2 comments

Library Interior

2 comments

Students using library

0 comments

Computer lab

0 comments

Librarian desk

2 comments

Curious about the instructions for this step of this library design problem? >>

Show

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.

Try This

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.

Try This

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?

Try This

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?

Elite Designs's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary

Our firm is leaning more towards recreating this library in a more modern style, therefore, most of our materials for the building will be glass and metals.