Ingleside Branch Library

Design Intent
Located on an Ocean Avenue corner lot, the design consists of a main reading room, children's reading room, community room, staff support space and an outdoor garden. The most striking element of the front façade, positioned prominently at the corner, is an egg-shaped children's reading room with a large, bench-seat window that puts its user's activities on display and encourages use of the library by younger patrons. The children's room is capped by a high canopy roof, extending over the entry and the lower community room volume along Ocean Avenue.

Inside, the spaces are designed to fuse historic interpretations of libraries as "temples of knowledge" with more common associations of books in the marketplace popularized by Borders and the like. In the main reading room, floor to ceiling books line the walls. Facing the courtyard, mahogany-clad carrels offer quiet, intimate spaces to read and relax. Benches are built into the glass edges creating a simple and elegant relationship between courtyard and interior spaces. Most importantly, this new branch library facilitates a central gathering space and enhances access to important resources for the neighborhood, while playing an essential role in the revitalization of Ocean Avenue. The robust, light-filled, and sustainable architectural design highlights the virtues and aspirations of this community: valuing the accessibility of knowledge and education for everyone.

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

First an RFP was issued and we were selected as a potential architect for the SF Library Bond Program. Then, there was a competition which we won the commission to be the architect for the Ingleside Branch Library.

Can you describe your design process for the building?

Throughout the design process, we were confronted with a variety of stakeholders including the neighborhood, the city, local staff, and those providing financing. This diverse group of entities often had competing interests and our job was to provide vision, leadership, and compromise throughout the process.
 

How does the completed building compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

We designed the building during a weekend-long competition. While it has changed some, the essential concept has remained the same. Maintaining quality throughout the construction process is always a challenge, especially with a public, low-bid process.
 

How does the building compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other building types?

While the scale is the same as the single-family houses we have previously completed, the program and process were certainly more complicated.

E-mail interview conducted by John Hill