AIA/ALA Library Design Awards: Reinventing the Modern Library
- Apr 19, 2015
- 1 min read
When most people think of libraries, they usually don't think of innovation, forward-thinking, or as a place they see themselves spending a lot of time. In recent years, there are people who have been trying to change that by designing libraries to be a place for people to gather, work, connect and learn. This article shows some creative designs of new library spaces from the AIA/ALA Library Design Awards. Some have community gardens and kitchens, others have RFID technology to track inventory. All of them are created to be a place for the future thinkers and creators to work, collaborate and develop.
The new library designs include large, open and bright spaces. They have plenty of seating for collaborating, working solo, or relaxing. They have computer work station, and cozy reading chairs. One of the most interesting points have been making the buildings eco-friendly. The architectual designs are created to save energy and water, and these savings are, in some cases, displayed in the buildings for visitors to see.
It's important to keep these spaces alive and relevant, even as new generations find the physical book to be increasingly irrelevant in their lives. The libraries have to work side-by-side with technology, not ignore it.
While digital books and online encyclopedias have replaced or taken a large share of the libraries reason of being, there are still some aspects of the library that can never be replaces with online tools. The most important is that of community, as well as environments that foster connections and growth in the way only a well designed public space can.
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