The Spring 2019 semester saw a new group of Architecture and Design students walk into the Art Library on the Voorhees Mall and leave with a new prespective about the design and function of the library. The students were enrolled in Social and Cultural Aspects of Design, led by Dean of Academic Programs Laura Lawson and Associate Professor Holly Nelson, within the Department of Landscape Architecture. The culmulative project, drawing on all they learned throghout the semester, was to create a Social Study Post Occupany Evaluation report. The reports included in-depth observations about the physical design of the library as well as how the patrons utilized the space. The students were then asked to create a proposal for design changes they believed would better serve the library users.

The Assessment

            In order to create a design proposal, the students needed to first observe how patrons utilized the current space. They were able to visualize their observations in countless ways, from diagrams to photographs. Jingyu Wu chose to use a combination of a floor plan, shading and handwritten notes to demonstrate how the mezzanine floor was being used as well as present observations about the layout. Besides the physical space the students were required to visit the library on multiple occasions and focus on the people and their activities. Notes included the weather, time the observer spent in the space, and movement and actions of the other patrons. Many of the observations showed that the library is less populated on rainy days. The library also proved to be a popular destination for people needing to print papers before class.

The Art Library is the closest library to the train station and sits in the middle of the university’s bus line.  Its location makes it a convenient stop for commuters before or after class. However, it is noted by many that parking is an issue for the area. The parking lots are reserved for staff and faculty or local businesses. Visitors and students must find parking in metered spots or in parking garages, which can prove difficult during peak times.

After gaining an overall feel for the building and the area, the students then focused on specified aspects of the building that affect the patrons’ experience. The most noted sections of the library were lighting, noise levels, and seating. Their observations were also presented in their papers as visual diagrams, as seen in the diagrams created by Zhoaxuan Wang and Yat Chan.

Lighting:  The Art Library’s architecural joy is the large arched window that takes up most of the lower floor’s one wall. The library is unique in the area because of the available natural light. The open layout of the building’s floors allow for natural light to reach most parts of the building.  As seen in the diagram created by Brigitte Schackerman, the areas near the larger windows are the most popular spots for patrons to sit. The seats near the windows are often the first ones occupied by studying students. Not only does it provide wonderful lighting on sunny days, it also gives the patron a view of the outside. There are pockets of darker lighting where the windows do not reach and the library must rely on artificial lighting, however these areas can be considerably dimmer. The weather and time of day also play an inportant role in the overall lighting of the space, which unfortuantely can not be controlled by the library.

Noise: Libraries are no longer the “quiet zones” of the past and the Art library was designed to create an open flow and areas of interaction.  Unfortunately, as it was witnessed in the observations this floor plan is not conducive to a silent study place. Footsteps echo on the hard floors and noise travels from one floor to the next. Quiet studies carrels are tucked into the corners of the library, including behind the moving stacks. Many students are seen with their headphones in if they are spending a considerable amount of time at the library.

Seating: The seating arrangements throughout the library were the most disagreed upon element. Some students found that the large tables allowed for students to spread their things out when they needed, while other found that the tables created wasted space when students staggered their seating with chairs in between. The upstairs couch setup was either applauded by some as a separated place for group work, a place for a quick nap or a comfy place to sit, or it was criticized for its lack of table space and remote location. One of the features that the students did agree on, likely spurred by interview answers from staff, is the lack of updated functionality of the current seating. The tables are large and bulky, making them difficult to rearrange, and the desk chairs are hard and not ergonomically designed. Mobile furniture will make rearranging more accessible. Students can create larger or smaller grouping of seats to suit their needs and staff can create space for events when needed.

The Proposals

 Combining the information gained from their observations, interviews with librarians at the library, and a creative thought exercise that resulted in a variety of spider diagrams depicted what the students perceived at the key components of an art library (see image below), the students created their own design changes for Art Library.

Layout and technology were the primary concerns addressed in the proposals. Updating the types of chairs was the easiest fix, making them cushioned and more mobile. The area most heavily populated with carrels are further away from the window, which gives a quieter surrounding, it also means it is darker. Increased lighting is a suggestion with the note that the lighting should not be harsh fluorescent.

Several students suggested bringing in plants to connect the outside with the inside and utilize the natural light. They have acknowledged that plants may cause an upkeep issue and one student even suggested bringing in artificial plants instead. The plants would also serve a dual purpose of sound absorption. Continuing with the nature theme, it was proposed that the alley between the Art Library and the Zimmerli Art Museum be converted into a patio area with attractive seating. It will create a continuation of the Voorhees mall while creating a connection between the library and museum.

 Building off the library’s collection, designs created greater art integration opportunities. Increased art object space can promote student and faculty artists while raising art awareness for the majority of the library’s users who are often not from an arts background. It also creates a more attractive space.

Conclusion

To place their ideas in the larger implication of space design, the students also needed to include sections about how their plans would fit into the library’s current financial and administrative situation. They needed to consider the stakeholders, potential limitations they may face and feasibility. Fictional patrons were created to theorize potential problems and benefits the current library design has and from them create solutions.  They also created a questionnaire and developed a strategy to gain responses. The questionnaire would be used in a real-life situation, if the proposal was chosen by the library to go forward and collect more direct information from the library patrons and staff.

This project allows the students to translate their class curriculum into a tangible product that uses a real place as inspiration. Their reports have demonstrated that there are places within and surrounding the Art Library that can be improved to make it more user friendly and appealing. However, the Art Library has also proven itself to be a place of respite for commuter students and faculty alike.