Evolving design of Free Library annex
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Posted on Fri, Apr. 22, 2005
Changing Skyline | New design helps library reinvent
By Inga Saffron
Inquirer Architecture Critic
Great library collections take time to assemble. So, it seems, do great library buildings.
When the Free Library announced 17 months ago that it had selected Moshe Safdie to design a major annex to its Logan Square grand palazzo, it looked as if the hard part was over. Safdie arrived in Philadelphia bearing CDs with renderings and floor plans depicting an hourglass-shaped structure nestled between the quotation marks of two glassy atriums.
But those images turned out to be simple throat-clearing on the way to articulating a more complete design vision. First, the expansion project encountered financial and political troubles, including deep cuts in the library's operating budget. Safdie had to adapt his dramatic glass ruffles to quotidian realities, such as the need to lock up the library's books during evening events. Meanwhile, the annex's location at 20th and Callowhill Streets morphed into a cultural and residential hub.
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[see article for details]
http://www.macon.com/mld/inquirer/11456886.htm
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Cheers,
Jayfar
--
“I am indeed well aware of the history of Conventional (sic) Hall, both globally and locally, and can assure you that we are carefully exploring avenues for its future.” -- Penn President Amy Gutmann 5 days before demolition began.
Last edited by Jayfar : 04-22-2005 at 09:02 PM.
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04-22-2005, 08:59 PM
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