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2013 national competition project | Library Redesign #036

By alee5416 | 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.

Program: Renovation of an existing library
Site: 29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn, NY, 11217

Site Description: The site is a library located in the center section of the fifth floor at Brooklyn Technical High School. The entrances are on the east and west sides of the room.

Job Description: You are to redesign and prepare construction documents for an existing A.D.A. compliant library. The job entails the redesign of interior partitions, doors, stair and windows. Items to remain include the building super structure, which includes columns, joists, girders, bearing wall. You are to renovate the existing library to include the following building requirements:

Library:
- Seating for students
- Book and media storage
- Librarian area
- Computer areas
- Audio/visual labs
- Meeting spaces
- Café
- Information Kiosk
- Workshop area

Comments

I would have liked to see notes about your proposed solutions in the overview to tie the final design back to this program statement.

By Chicago_Monadnock, Architect at 10:01 am, 22 May 2013

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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.

Try This

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).

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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?

 

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?

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.

alee5416's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
To gather information, I walked around the school library to take pictures and interview students.
Picture of the current library
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"The primary goal of effective library design and space planning is that the facility must...
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As technology becomes increasingly important in schoolwork, the need for computers grows. As a...
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Ideas – Quiet, comfortable, reading/study area; Way of organization, placement of librarian desk...
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Ideas – Organization of books and seating for students; Book storage, comfortable chairs, calming...
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Sketch of the current library floor plan, dimensions are labeled, existing rooms are labeled,...
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Student Interviews: ONE: Question 1: “What changes would you make to the school library, if you...
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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.

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?     

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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.

alee5416's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
To brainstorm, I created a bubble diagram of a possible design for the new library.
Bubble diagram
1 comment
Space for Librarian: This area will consist of a “U” shaped desk 10’ by 6’ to accommodate for two...
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Computer Area: This area will consist of four rows of computers. Every two rows will be back to...
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Audio Visual Lab: This room can be used for teachers who wish to show a movie or a presentation to...
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Workshop Area: The workshop area will be used as an area for students to work in for class or...
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Café: The café will be in the corner of the library. It will offer snacks and drinks to students....
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Information Kiosk: There will be two information kiosks – one near the front by the librarian desk...
1 comment

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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.

 

Try This

  • 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.

alee5416's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
For developing solutions, I created two possible designs of the library.
1: Beginning of the design on Revit - created the shape of the library using the dimensions of the...
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1: Comfortable seating in the library for students. 2: More seating for students - rectangular...
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1: Final floor plan of my first design. 2: Teacher's library and audio/visual lab. 3: Teacher...
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1: Final floor plan of my second design. 2: General 3D view of the library design. Bookshelves are...
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1: Workshop area with circular tables. 2: Meeting area for students and teachers. 3: Student...
2 comments

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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.

alee5416's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
For the final design, I decided to choose my first idea. I dimensioned the floor plan in Revit and created 3D renderings of the individual interior areas.
Floor plan with dimensions.
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3D rendering of the library - shows overall layout of the area; two entrances, meeting area near...
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3D rendering - shows computer area and placement of bookshelves. The information kiosk is next to...
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3D rendering - shows librarian's desk located near front entrance. There is space for two...
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3D rendering - shows workshop area with circular tables and six chairs at each table. This...
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1: Cafe seating - barstools and tables. 2: Inside of librarian desk - shelves for better...
2 comments