California’s El Centro community, about two hours east of San Diego, recently opened a new $17 million public library. With design by Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects and engineering services by Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering, the 19,811-sf building replaces the previous library, which was built in the early 1900s, damaged by a 7.2 earthquake that struck Baja California in 2010, and demolished in 2016.
The new library features a two-story, 1,000-sf lobby that can be entered from both the front road and the parking lot, facilitating access for both patron vehicles and public transportation. On opposite sides of the building are two outdoor, shaded patios: a 500-sf reading patio with access from the adult area and homework center, and a 1,600-sf patio that serves as overflow space from the community room. The library also includes a computer area, study rooms, bookstore, and age-specific reading areas for children, teens, and adults.
Following engagement with community members, the design team incorporated elements that reflect the region’s topography. These features include rock fences, perforated shade canopies that resemble the patchwork pattern of local agricultural fields, and colors and textures that evoke the canyon walls of the Painted George, 25 miles west of El Centro. The children’s area has the look and feel of an archaeological dig site.
The design team also incorporated sustainable strategies such as optimized building insulation, high-performance glazing, and energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems.
“This space will be a regional beacon that will provide enrichment, learning, and a context for community building for generations to come,” Justin R. Giles, PE, associate with Latitude 33, said in a statement.
On the Building Team:
Owner: City of El Centro
Design architect and architect of record: Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects
Engineering services: Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering
Landscape architect: Spurlock Landscape Architects
MEP engineer: GLUMAC
Structural engineer: Wiseman & Rohy
General contractor/construction manager: Barnhart-Reese Construction
Related Stories
| Sep 16, 2013
Study analyzes effectiveness of reflective ceilings
Engineers at Brinjac quantify the illuminance and energy consumption levels achieved by increasing the ceiling’s light reflectance.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Aug 26, 2013
What you missed last week: Architecture billings up again; record year for hotel renovations; nation's most expensive real estate markets
BD+C's roundup of the top construction market news for the week of August 18 includes the latest architecture billings index from AIA and a BOMA study on the nation's most and least expensive commercial real estate markets.
| Aug 22, 2013
Energy-efficient glazing technology [AIA Course]
This course discuses the latest technological advances in glazing, which make possible ever more efficient enclosures with ever greater glazed area.
| Aug 14, 2013
Green Building Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Jul 29, 2013
2013 Giants 300 Report
The editors of Building Design+Construction magazine present the findings of the annual Giants 300 Report, which ranks the leading firms in the AEC industry.
| Jul 22, 2013
Cultural Facility Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of design and construction firms with the most revenue from cultural facility projects, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Jul 19, 2013
Renovation, adaptive reuse stay strong, providing fertile ground for growth [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Increasingly, owners recognize that existing buildings represent a considerable resource in embodied energy, which can often be leveraged for lower front-end costs and a faster turnaround than new construction.
| Jul 18, 2013
GSA regains stature under Tangherlini, who looks to trim its holdings, cut energy costs [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Over the past 15 months, Acting GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini has done a creditable job of restoring the agency’s standing with Congress and the public.
