Robin Hood Libraries

Leroy Street Studio was invited to design two new libraries: in Staten Island’s elementary school PS 31 and in Manhattan’s PS 110 on the Lower East Side. Robin Hood Foundation’s Library Initiative sponsors new state-of-the-art libraries in New York City’s neediest elementary schools to both engage and inspire students, and to create facilities within public schools accessible to the neighborhood to promote community interaction.

The challenge was to create a visually open environment with distinct functional requirements: quiet reading, computer and study areas, open teaching and group reading areas, as well as book circulation, re-shelving and storage zones. Our goal was also to design a unique and playful environment for the students and the community that suggests both the importance and the joy of reading and learning. We introduced a line of suspended bookshelves the length of the library to set off a ramped amphitheater-like reading area from the quiet zones, perforating the custom shelving system with large circular apertures to maintain the librarians’ lines of sight. The space is further wrapped with a second, built in shelving system, seemingly set into the walls’ thickness. Custom pentagonal tables snake through the space, allowing for flexible reconfigurations to accommodate different class’ requirements. Student workshops were conducted by Hester Street collaborative from which artwork, inspired by books from the library’s new collection was created. The student work, permanently installed in the libraries, is back-lit along one wall to further animate the space.allowing for flexible reconfigurations to accommodate different class’ requirements. Student workshops were conducted by Hester Street collaborative from which artwork, inspired by books from the library’s new collection was created. The student work, permanently installed in the libraries, is back-lit along one wall to further animate the space.