CLOSE AD ×

Snøhetta unveils further renders of Philly's Temple University Library

End of Books

Snøhetta unveils further renders of Philly's Temple University Library

At the start of the year, AN reported that Oslo and New York-based firm Snøhetta’s library for Temple University Library had the potential to spell the end of books.

This would be the firm’s eleventh library, and while Snøhetta has opened a book-less library before in Toronto for Ryerson University, this design emphasizes transparency and openness as key themes. Evidenced in Snøhetta’s latest renderings, a glass curtain wall wraps round the library’s upper floors allowing light to fill the space. Snøhetta’s nighttime render, however, finally shows people what the interior of these levels will encompass.

In terms of its interiors, the 225,000-square-foot building appears to extensively make use of wood detailing in sweeping archways that form the main entrances and atrium. On the ground floor, wood is used as a balustrade to surround circular void, stairways and interior cladding.

Despite advocating the use of an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that allows the library to devote more square footage to “learning spaces” and less space to book stacks, space for some books can still be seen in Snøhetta’s latest renderings. Located on the top floor, the books form part of a large study space that is bathed in daylight.

The library is one part of a $300 million campus expansion plan that includes a to-be-built quadrangle, the public space at the heart of the campus’ new social and academic core. The library, which is the university’s most expensive construction project to date, is due to be complete by 2018.


CLOSE AD ×