A Reinvented Cultural Space

The library, colloquially known as Club West, was renovated, and following a series of works, its capacity doubled. Moreover, the building received LEED certification at the ‘gold’ level (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – an American system for evaluating sustainable and ecologically responsible buildings in terms of design, construction, and efficiency).

The design concept issued by the architectural firm Ross Barney Architects from Chicago, Illinois, together with partners Long Associates Architects/Engineers, Inc., Tampa, Florida, envisioned a northern facade with a sufficiently high degree of transparency so that the activities inside and the volumes in the space could be seen by passersby, as the library is located on a very busy thoroughfare. This strategy emphasized the essential purpose of the building and simultaneously transformed the structure into a presence that welcomes the community.

The project included the construction of an additional three-story building spanning 18 square kilometers and the renovation of the existing library space (35 square kilometers distributed over six floors). The result is a library aligned with the latest technologies, containing 1,250,000 volumes, 1,600 seats for readers, and appropriate spaces for staff.

In the renovation process of the halls, new ceilings were created using cellular polycarbonate panels supported by cables and clamps at each corner, with a 7 cm space between the panels, allowing quick access to the lighting installation and additionally contributing to acoustic value. In some areas, the architects used the linear configuration of the polycarbonate panels to provide directions leading to various parts of the library.

Text and photo source: http://www.myfloridagreenbuilding.info, http://www.r-barc.com/, David Moore on http://continuingeducation.construction.com and the official website of the University of Florida, ufl.edu.