What does Mira Loma High School need? A functional library that can accommodate student, adult and community needs. For example, our library lacks in basic tools that people need to further their education. Students, adults, and the larger community need access to working computers, updated books, and a place to study, hold meetings, and conduct research. For many of our students, the MLHS library is their only access to computers, the internet, and printing. Mira Loma's library is over crowded during lunch and after school. The library is often closed for meetings, testing, securing test materials, and for book storage. The library is overbooked--all of the time.
Our dynamic, new, multi-use design opens up the space, lets in natural light, incorporates a re-organized layout, galleries, public art, a garden, and a much needed ventilation system. Our library needs to be more than a long line just to type or print on a computer.
ThemOnes's work for the Collect Information step:
At the beginning of this step we visited our school library to find out what needed to be improved. We took some very good pictures and we focused on the negative parts of our library. The pictures show what the library should improve on and how we are going to fix the problems in our school library. Our main focus was to make our library similar to how the Cerritos library was set up. We found out it had three stories, and even had a single story which contained all the computers. We interviewed the librarians, administrators, and students to see what can be improved and what does not work in our library. This helped us to see the problems we encountered in our library and to see why it needs to be changed.
ThemOnes's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:
The windows on the left of the picture inspired the upstairs design of our concept library.
This is the exterior of how we want our library to look.
The layout of the first floor. The front entrance is facing south.
The layout of the second floor. The front entrance is facing south.
We have been looking at pictures of other libraries and have been reviewing on how to improve our library. We found some interesting pictures of some overhanging windows and we decided to put those types of windows we found in our project. The way we designed our project is using two-stories to make it spacious enough for the entire school, and the community after school. We added more computers because the amount in our library is insufficient. We separated the media and the studying portions of the library by levels so that we have an elevator and a ramp in the front of our library for handicap access. We will also incorporate stairs for our fire exit.
ThemOnes's work for the Develop Solutions step:
Front view of the first and second level.
This part of our design has now been removed because of the inconvenience and lack of space.
Upstairs view without the roof. Modern abstract art is displayed and a large opening in the middle to view the downstairs lounge
An added room for printing or copying. This room has double the amount of printers available in our current library.
A better view of our windows overlooking the campus. Some of these windows are for viewing, while some are small rooms.
We liked the idea of a lounge for students to relax or study in. So we added a center area with tables and couches.
The bookshelves are organized into different sections of the library, and they create isles.
We also included a piece of abstract art created by each of us.
We added windows that hang off the side of our library. The windows are meant for private rooms for studying, reading, and study groups. It is meant for a quiet study room where you can enjoy a good view of the scenery. The second story of the building is built as a media room where you don't have to be as quiet. From left to right there are fifty-eight computers which is an improvement compared to our thirty-two computer. Our abstract art is placed on our top story to emphasize our coloring and to appeal more to students. One of the main problems that our library faces, besides space, is its storage and organization. In our new library, we have created much more bookshelf space and have them separated by genre, fiction/nonfiction, multilingual, and so on. We believe this will improve the look of the inside of our library by placing the books on the shelves, rather than the tables and floors, like our current library is forced to do.
Comments
Looks like you are off to a great start! You've identified a lot of specific problems with your current library and have documented them well in the photographs. I am a little confused by your overview text. Beginning with the sentence that starts "Our dynamic new multi-use library..." are you referring to the library you are about to design or another library at your school? Have you interviewed the librarian or other students to see what problems or concerns with the current library they identify.
Another part of the collecting Information phase is to look at case studies of other similar projects to study precedences, gather ideas and inspirational photos. You can search projects featured in the Architectural Record magazine by building type online. Here's a link to their featured library projects:
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/libraries/defau...
I'm looking forward to following your progress with this project.
I'm looking forward to viewing what your team creates. Several classic problems that many, many school libraries face.
I look forward to how you consider and edit your design through the positive feedback you are getting.
I would like to see your design layers assembled. How have you addressed the suggestion of the above comments in your design?
Make sure you add a feedback section so you can dialog and respond to any/all feedback you get. You will be responsible for this during your final presentation Oct. 4 & 5.
I love the ideas you have in rebuilding the library. It is a very crowded small unwelcoming place just like the school cafeteria. What I wonder though, are you planning to expand from the current library, or will you be knocking down the existing library and starting from scratch? Where would this library be located on campus? Best wishes on your final piece.
Hey ThemOnes. Now that you have some original design work, it's time to change your portfolio cover image to reflect this. Consider putting up one of your Sketchup models / renderings - perhaps image #3 from the 'Develop Solutions' step? Good stuff here!
Need to see your garden and public art. All group members need to support one another to make this happen. Keep working the process!
Thanks for all the comments and feedback. We are currently working on our model and have been editing through the comments we receive. We actually have our public art on the second story of our library. The garden is located outside, in the front of the library, so that it can appeal to students and want students to appreciate the garden. We still have a long way to go, so more comments would help us dearly.
@kharries - To answer your question about the reference to the library, we are actually adding onto our existing library rather than creating a new one in a different location. We plan to vacate the areas around the library that are currently occupied by a "hangout" spot and bike racks. This way, we can utilize the space to create a spacious two-story library. Above our existing library, there are multiple classrooms. There is a bike rack area back near the emergency exit of our library. Above the bike rack area is open sky, allowing for development of a second story. Our preference would be, to relocate the current trees without destroying them. However, if that is not possible, then we would plant multiple trees to compensate for the shade that would be missing from the previously removed trees.
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Here are some links to the pictures of the space we tend to renovate for the expansion:
http://imgur.com/zab26.jpg - An inside view of the tree/bike rack area.
http://imgur.com/VjpF9.jpg - An outside view of the hangout area near our library.
http://imgur.com/MuXey.jpg - The bike rack that we plan to relocate to our school parking lot, where we believe they belong.
I hope this paints a better picture of our ideas.
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We have also conducted some interviews with some students and the librarian to get their opinions of the current library, and what we can do to improve it. The students asked for more space and more availability to use the computers for printing or research during busy hours. To fix these problems, our group insisted on more computers and printers available for even the most busy of times, and created a designated area for lounging and studying.
The librarian really wanted a larger collection of e-books, or online reading sources. To address this issue, we want to create a website for our school so that students could log on and have access to thousands of books without having to carry them around. Our increase in computers and the development of our website would optimize access to these online sources.
Thank you for your comments and questions.
- ThemOnes
Please download the pictures and put them back into "Brainstorm/Analyze". You can put them on your desktop and upload them from there. I know I said links were okay--but I think now that I see them, they really should be back in the design.
What about a mini-Kinko's room dedicated to printing? More printers really doesn't solve the problem. How about a small student store kiosk for matador school supplies?
What about a language lab for community members to use for learning English and/or a new language? What about meeting rooms for class meetings, teacher meetings, student government, cheer, etc? Where are students supposed to get tutoring? What about P/C and an Apple Lab? What about small rooms for students to take tests? What about a Career Room for job searches? A college room for scholarship workshops and SAT prep?
The challenge for this project is: Redesign your school library with new spaces for COMMUNITY GROUPS.
You can't stop at "we're gonna make money for the school and rent it out". Community members are much more likely to want to rent a facility if it has a variety of resources.
Just "saying it" in a presentation won't cut it. You have to show it.
Lots of work left to do.
Thank you for the additional description and photos. It would be helpful to have a plan that includes the exterior areas that you have shown in photo. For example you could have an existing plan, and then a plan of your proposal so that it is even clearer for example how close the trees are and if there is any alternative solution to moving them as they seem quite large and would be sad to lose. Also if you showed enough site context you could indicate where the bike rack is now and where it would be relocated to next to the parking lot.
I noticed you have addressed some of the problems identified through your interviews in your proposed solution, for example providing more computers. The idea for a website from which students could access e-books and other online reading sources sounds promising. Would that be something students could even access from home? Do students ever bring their own laptop to school and is their a place where they can work in the library too?
For your Brainstorm and Analyze phase:
It would be good to have some initial sketches. This could also be in form of marking up the photos with notes and indication of what elements you would like to incorporate. For example for the 2nd image you have its not clear what about it you would like to incorporate into your design: is it the brick facade, the outdoor patio areas, etc? Also during this phase sketches are often bubble diagrams that show the relationship between the different programmatic areas, for example where would computers be located compared to study area or book shelves or circulation desk, etc. This phase is also a good chance to show many ideas, not all of which you may end of developing, just like any good brainstorming you want to have lots of ideas then evaluate those ideas to decide which ones to develop.
For your Develop Solution phase:
Looks like you have created quite a detailed 3d model of your proposal. I can see you have incorporated the windows that push out from the facade, but it would be helpful to see a detail of them, zoomed in to understand their size and function. Some seem small and just for viewing out of whereas others seem larger, like you might be able to sit inside of them. You have separated the different types of spaces by floor and yet have what looks like a large open area in the middle which can be great for allowing views and light down but would mean the noise from one area will travel to the other. Also, upstairs it looks like lots of empty space between the computers and the walls, would anything else be located there? It´s great that you are thinking about accessibility but I am not sure if your ramp would met code requirements, it looks a bit steep. Is it possible to cut plans and sections from your 3d model and post them too.
Great work, keep up the good effort!
We are really impressed by your design. We love how your top floor overlooks the bottom floor. We feel as if you could improve your library by adding more details and possibly more meeting rooms so it will be more beneficial for students and staff. Keep up the good work!
We currently have one meeting room in our library, but our images are not very clear. It is located on the first floor and is a large space that groups could use for a quiet independent room. We will try to create more rooms for these community activities so there are more available to them all.
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Another addition we will incorporate will be an atlas/international room next to our archive filing room. This room will include atlas books and maps, and multilingual texts.
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If we were to design an online e-book website for our school library, we would also like to have multilingual/multicultural texts, videos, and other sources for our international students and parents.
Some students currently bring their laptops to school, but there is a limited amount of connection availability. Our renovated library would have a secure wireless connection that students would be given the code to. The library would also have its own password, so Mira Loma students could access it from home.
If we were to keep our library open after school hours for the public, we could sell library cards that would give access to all of our hard bound books, and e-books.
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However, the idea of an online school library is just that, an idea. It also does not improve the library we have set out to fix. So, we will work on the addition of specific rooms to adjust the problems in your above comments
Thank you---
ThemOnes
Your project is great! I like that you have used some resources from different designs of current libraries such as the Cerritos as inpirations for your design. However, i can't help but notice that most of the information you have posted is directed towards only your school's library space problem and a new media room design. Im curious about what other problems your current library has, including its organization and what may be wrong with some its functions. Also, it would be nice to give a small piece of information about what you would change beside having a larger space for everyone to work on with computers and a better view of the library.
One of the main problems that our library faces, besides space, is its storage and organization. In our new library, we have created much more bookshelf space and have them separated by genre, fiction/nonfiction, multilingual, and so on. We believe this will improve the look of the inside of our library by placing the books on the shelves, rather than the tables and floors, like our current library is forced to do.
Thank you for helping us clarify.
-ThemOnes
Really like your desings and how you have the second floor overviewing the first floor. You really need to put some of your sketches that you have drawn. I fell like you have a lot more details to put into your desing.
Thanks for adding more images that show the interior spaces and window bays in more detail. One thing that would be helpful, is either in plan or your overall 3d view if you indicated the different areas either by name or with letters/numbers and a legend, that you could then also use in the detailed images to help make clearer where the views are from.
I´m a little confused why your library building is siting off to the side of the foundation in your rendering. Are the stairs you are showing at the base, more like for sitting on, or are they supposed to function like real stairs (if they are real stairs their rise is too high). Also, your ramp doesn´t meet code ADA requirements (it would have to be over 48 feet long and divided into a minimum of two runs) to see more details on how to calculate code compliant ramp dimensions you can visit:
http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.8
But more important and interestingly I´d like to understand better how the indoor spaces of the library relate to the adjacent exterior spaces. Also, since the library is to be used by the community at large, where is the primary access point for the community? What is the view one would see when approaching the library? Does it have a direct access from the outside, or through the school building only.
You guys have a great design and your ideas are fantastic!!!! I dont see a garden though.......... will you guys be incorporating one into your project? If so , where would it go? What kind of garden would it be?
It would really be helpful to see a more completed overall design.. with the layers applied to each other. I am a bit confused about the type of roof you will have and how the windows will add to the aesthetics? It appears that the windows consume the majority of the aesthetics of the front facade. What sort of landscaping, garden or public art could you have to bring about more of a completed design? Keep up the good work. You can do this!
Our group has decided that the foundation was unnecessary and just created more problems than it resolved. So we have removed the foundation completely.
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On another note, our SketchUp abilities are less than par, so we decided to draw a floor plan rather than separating the two floors that we had difficulties putting together. They are located in the Brainstorm/Analyze section. In the layout, we added an additional meeting room, and an International/Atlas room. We also added three additional exits, with two that act as fire escape options.
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As for the roof, we too are a bit confused about the type of roof we are going to have. However, the idea we are leaning toward is having a skylight roof that would let light through the ceiling and down to the lounge, but have a washtub shape that would let in maximum light with minimum heat. We like this option because it allows more light than our current library and can also keep the library cool on hot Sacramento days.
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We currently have four pieces of student art on the top floor and a garden/walkway in the front of the library. We have enough room on the second floor for even more student artwork.
I hope my technical comments regarding the stairs and ramp is not what lead you to decide to abandon your foundation. More importantly, I´d like to understand your original concept behind raising it up... was it to be level with the current school, to create a grand entrance, or something else? Thanks for including the floor plans, they help to understand better the layout of your two floors. Adding a couple of overall dimensions or a graphic scale could be helpful in the future. Is the elevator the only means for getting between the main level and the mezzanine or will their be stairs too, because I imagine if students all have to wait for the elevator it could cause problems. Is the library a stand alone building or does it connect directly to the rest of your school, and if so just at the ground floor or also at the mezzanine level?
I think the larger window bays are more successful. I think the smaller ones don´t necessarily have to project from the facade but could just be flush with the wall, making the larger bays even more dramatic. Try to find harmony in balance in the overall facade. Right now the windows on the first floor look small and sad in comparison to the dynamic and busy portion of the second floor. Are there only windows on the front face? The idea to have natural light entering the library through additional skylights is a great idea, though indirect or diffuse light is best for less glare. Check out the skylights at Alvar Aalto´s Viipuri Library - http://www.alvaraalto.fi/viipuri/building.htm, and Renzo Piano´s addition and renovations to the Morgan Library - http://www.arcspace.com/architects/piano/morgan_library/
Below is a link to Chapter 6 of the book ¨Designing a school library media center for the future¨ by Rolf Erikson, Carolyn Bussian Markuson. I thought it could also be a good reference for you to check out, as I think the upper floor layout looks empty, especially compared to the first floor.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZrCmaCyJXwgC&lpg=PA33&dq=library%20layo...