Southwest Public Library - Washington, DC

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This new library delivers a\nsustainable and unique design to a community sorely in need of a facility\nfilled with cutting-edge technology, spaces for gathering, and educational\nopportunities. It includes the innovative use of dowel-laminated timber to\ncreate the library\u2019s distinctive roofline reflective of the shapes found\nthroughout Washington, DC\u2019s Southwest neighborhood. The folded plate evokes the\ncast-in-place concrete roof outlines of the 1950s, but it demonstrates how\nmodern connection technology and low-carbon materials can shape a compelling\nmassing with a memorable space waiting inside. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To begin the project, the\nteam worked closely with the surrounding community to clarify the civic vision\nthe library\u2019s stakeholders hoped the new library would express through its\narchitecture. The community\u2019s history is both rich and diverse, with\nmid-century growth spawning a showcase of important architecture from I.M. Pei\nand Harry Weese to Bing Thom\u2019s more recent mass timber reimagining of historic\nArena Stage, the district\u2019s first racially integrated theater. The community,\nthroughout a six-month visioning process, was insistent the library remains a\nstand-alone civic building and that the design weave natural inspiration into\nthe building."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Guided by those parameters,\nthe team approached the library system and its patrons with a vision for a\ncommunity media hub rooted in today\u2019s sustainable design principles. Tying the\nlibrary to its unique site in the middle of a playground park was essential to\nits success, as was the incorporation of dowel-laminated timber panels, which\nhighlight an important connection to Arena Stage and the design story of carbon\ncapture in timber construction."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The design inspiration for\nthe LEED Platinum-certified library was simple: a series of interconnected\ngable roofs with tapered sides. Though folded roofs are nothing new, creating\none from dowel-laminated timber was an innovative endeavor, requiring an\nintensive collaboration between the design team and the library\u2019s engineers.\nThe system is prefabricated and glue-free, and its use resulted in a 99% rate\nof diversion from landfills. Inside, the timber structure remains exposed,\neschewing drywall finishing. Much more than an aesthetic choice, the mass\ntimber frame was the answer to the team\u2019s goal of significantly reducing the\nlibrary\u2019s impact on the environment. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Ultimately, the library is\na story manifested into a design reflective of a community that is proud of its\nidentity and past, yet fully invested in the power of architecture to shape its\nfuture. "]]]]}