A study in architecture: Library Square
I was taking some pictures of Library Square about a week ago, and I think it’s worth pointing out what an architectural success Moishe Safdie’s colosseum of books has been. It could have been so much worse.
The more I look at substantial architecture projects, the more convinced I am that “success” largely comes down to attracting people to come and hang around, and that the library has done that with a few pretty simple features.
The first is that it has a nice open concourse on the north side that people like to sit in on sunny days. The second is that it has a nice atrium where you can grab a bite to eat, people-watch, and generally enjoy a semi-private space that’s pleasant to be in (and usable year-round, thanks to the roof). Almost everything else, including the interesting design of the library (I’d like to hear from library insiders how well the structure works as a library) seems to be a bonus, though for my part I always find this library a great place to hang out and browse.
Also, there’s an on-site bar, and I think that’s wonderful.
I made a joke before the jump, linking to Gord’s photo of the Erickson-designed Law Courts, but that wasn’t even the so much worse I had in mind. The library was the subject of a three-way public architectural competition, and I went back into the microfilm to read what the Vancouver Sun’s resident architectural critic, Robin Ward, had to say about the entrants.
Mr. Ward didn’t like the chosen design. In the March 21, 1992 issue of the Sun he stated a preference for one of the competing designs. It looked like a shed with an attached lump of an office tower, and would have easily become one of the five ugliest buildings downtown had it been built. If you’re interested, there were photos of all three designs in that 1992 issue; it’s not at all hard to figure out why Mr. Safdie’s design was the winner.
As if to prove that he wasn’t perfect, Mr. Safdie then designed The Centre formerly known as The Ford Centre right across the street. It’s a nice enough place to watch a show, I hear, but the lobby is too small for comfort and the streetfront is a big ugly wall.
If I stop being lazy, I’ll follow up this post later with an assessment of two other major public buildings downtown: the Law Courts and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Nice pictures Ryan. I find the walkway in the above picture to be very spacious … at least vertically. I wonder what the original intent was for? … Fashion or Function or was there a deeper purpose that got shelved? The walkway is definitely hyperbolic with a very high-ceiling. Can’t help to wonder if that area was designed to be a mini-theater as I’m sure the acoustics would be quite extraordinary.
The acoustics of this atrium is very echo-y. This atrium is pretty much as designed; on the left you’re seeing the inner cube of the library proper, and on the right is the “inner” face of the office tower (Public Works? Some government agency…) that makes up the northeast corner of the site.
Those floor-level booths on the right are all storefronts; coffee shop, convenience store, a pizza place, et cetera.
This atrium is a sort of grand entrance for the library, as well as affording access to some downstairs meeting rooms and the aforementioned shops. I assume you can get into the office tower from here, but I’ve never gone in there.