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Whitehall Library - Case Study

The Whitehall Library in Whitehall, New York was designed in 2015 by Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design. The 19,500 square foot building features a simple bowed shape with transparent entrances and flexible interior spaces. The design aims to create an inviting, accessible and open facility with clear wayfinding. The main public area contains functions like a children's area, teen area, and reading room in a large rectangular space to accommodate changing needs.

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Vidya Sagar
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199 views8 pages

Whitehall Library - Case Study

The Whitehall Library in Whitehall, New York was designed in 2015 by Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design. The 19,500 square foot building features a simple bowed shape with transparent entrances and flexible interior spaces. The design aims to create an inviting, accessible and open facility with clear wayfinding. The main public area contains functions like a children's area, teen area, and reading room in a large rectangular space to accommodate changing needs.

Uploaded by

Vidya Sagar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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WHITEHALL LIBRARY

OVERVIEW
• Location – Whitehall city, United States

• Area - 19500 sq.ft

• Architects - Jonathan Barnes Architecture


and Design

• Year – 2015

• Jonathan Barnes Architecture and Design


has 8 projects focused on Residential
architecture, Offices, Refurbishment.

Their headquarters are


based in Ohio, United
States.
SITE CONTEXT
• Whitehall is a town in Washington County, New
York, United States. It’s the smallest town in
Newyork.

• During war time, it was colonized by English


and French people.

• It’s a birth place of United States Navy.


Whitehall armory

Skenesborough Museum Main Street historic district Capitol theatre


DESIGN APPROACH

The design goals are simple. The building should be


inviting, accessible, transparent, open and flexible.

This creates a hyper-legibility where building access,


functions and wayfinding are simultaneously evident.
ENTRANCE AND THE LIGHTING • The north pedestrian entry and south
vehicular entry are each signified by a
proscenium of terra cotta with views
through each projecting into and through
the building.

• By extending above the roof, the frame


of the south entry provides backlighting
to the exterior space below.
• The entry sequence is defined by a
compression created by the interior
welcome zone that connects the entries
and bisects the main public space.

• The terra cotta cladding continues from


the exterior to the interior of the
welcome zone and the ceiling
transitions to a wood screen with
integral lighting.
PLAN
CHILDREN’S AREA MULTI PURPOSE AREA ENTRANCE

TEEN’S AREA OFFICE AND STAFFS AREA


PLANNING

• The single story, pedestrian-scaled structure is sited along the main


thoroughfare to the north. The gentle bow-shape of the building
responds to the linear site and emphasizes the center entries

• The exterior facades are composed of a series of flat, metal panels


and glass storefront with greater transparency at the public spaces to
the north and less so at the staff spaces and meeting rooms facing
south.

• The public space, extending east and west from the compressed space of
the entry, expands vertically with warped ceilings of exposed structural
steel beams.

• The raised volumes open to views of the meadow grass landscape that
extends outward from the building lines. With these pastoral views and
the more urban views of the busy street to the north, the library’s
connection to and identity with the community is made evident.
DEFINING FEATURES

• The library’s main public functions are defined


by a large, rational, rectangular space
accommodating a children’s area, teen area,
commodity computing, book stacks and a quiet
reading room.

• The simple configuration and a raised access


floor throughout create maximum flexibility.

• This will allow the library to respond easily and


effectively to rapidly changing functional
demands in the short and long terms. The
predominant light here is northern and reading-
friendly.

• Additional functions include a homework help


area, reconfigurable meeting spaces, a teen
recording studio and staff work spaces.

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