Library as Third Space
2019
“Libraries are the only thing left on the high street that doesn’t want either your soul or your wallet.” —Zadie Smith
Catering to all walks of life, libraries have maintained a relevance and popularity throughout history which transcends major shifts in politics, economics, and technology.
At the border of Chinatown, the Lower East Side, and Soho, the proposed site—Sarah D. Roosevelt Park—currently constitutes a physical and psychological wall between three boroughs which are demographically, culturally, and economically divided. The library is therefore seen as a bridge and condenser, creating an architectural as well as programmatic blending of language and culture.
Transit
Alleviating pressure from a problematic and dangerous intersection, the bicycle lane is swept up and over the park—and directly through the library.
Program
Besides the physical bridge for bicycle traffic, the library is cross programmed with an open air market for produce and handcraft, interwoven among book-stacks, study rooms, and park space.
Language
The stacks themselves have been reimagined. Rather than visitors being directed to a particular section for foreign language texts, the shelves throughout the building are a mosaic where books of all languages are grouped together by topic. The entire population is thereby welcomed to browse with one another and exchange wisdom and resources.
