Building of the Day: Queens Public Library Steinway Library

The design concept for the renovation and expansion of the Queens Public Library Steinway Branch is situated in an investigation of light and water. A new glass elevator tower located in the reading garden connects the cellar, first, and second floors while acting as a spatial joint of light linking the interior to the exterior. The steel frame enclosure includes laminated colored glazing that mixes the colors of the sky with the experience of traversing the section of the building. Library users step out of the building and into the reading garden each time they move from one level to next using the elevator. At the interior, the second-floor reading rooms and lounge areas are reconfigured to create an open plan whereby new spatial configurations and furnishings "float" on a continuous carpeted sea. The original ceiling was demolished to expose the existing concrete beams and roof slab and to maximize daylighting effects.

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Architect: Mario Gooden Studio