Jasper Place Branch Library / HCMA

Sep 2010

By Sebastian J — Filed under: Museums and Libraries , Canada, Dub Architects, Edmonton, HCMA

▼

Add this to My Bookmarks:

share by email

share by email

Courtesy of HCMA

Canadian architects HCMA shared with us their project “Jasper Place Branch Library”, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. For this project, HCMA is working in joint-venture with Dub Architects, an Edmonton-based firm. See more images and architect’s description after the break.

Courtesy of HCMA

The new Jasper Place Library design encompasses the Edmonton Public Library’s aspirations to create a flexible, open and memorable presence in the community. The design satisfies the following aims: A welcoming space that acts as an inclusive designation for all demographics of the community; a distinctive building that announces its unique role in the neighborhood as a place for public use; and a sustainable building that will fulfill present and future library needs.

With an eye to a potentially bookless future, this iconic, 15,000 sq ft library is focused more on social spaces than on books. The ground floor is occupied by staff functions as well as a double-height reading room consisting of book stacks and reading areas. This public area extends above the staff area to a mezzanine level overlooking the central space. Stairs–some of which are designed to double as reading spaces or an amphitheatre—are located at each end of the mezzanine to form a continuous circulation loop for patrons.

Courtesy of HCMA

This landmark project will generate civic pride, with its distinctive roofscapes and strong profiles set against the prairie sky and surrounding trees. The facility will set the larger Meadowlark Community apart from other communities within Edmonton. From the road, the concrete roof acts as a unifying enclosure and reinforces the continuity of public space. The design takes advantage of the site’s exposure to vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the potential of light rail transit along the adjacent road to the west. For the community, it offers a friendly welcome by using transparency to open its south and west faces to passersby.

Sustainability on all fronts is a central focus. The design seeks to create a memorable space of lasting social value. The functional longevity is strengthened by an open, flexible floor plan that can accommodate future reorganization and adaptation. The facility is targeting LEED®-Silver certification.

: Courtesy of HCMA

: Courtesy of HCMA

: Courtesy of HCMA

: Courtesy of HCMA

: Courtesy of HCMA

: Courtesy of HCMA

: main floor plan

: mezzanine plan

Cite:
Jordana , Sebastian . "Jasper Place Branch Library / HCMA" 07 Sep 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 10 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/76852>

Comments (4)
Tweets (16)
Links to this entry (0)

Luiz says:

It looks like Niemeyer’s “Igraja da Pampulha” Project
http://www.google.com.au/images?um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-au%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7DDAU_en-GB&biw=1404&bih=619&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=igreja+pampulha&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

# September 7, 2010 at 21:25

up_today_arch says:

fashionable structure…

# September 8, 2010 at 00:46

antti says:

I thought about the Niemeyer building too, but not in a negative way, more like a quite nice homage to it. Certainly not a crude copy. I like it.

# September 8, 2010 at 14:44

niko says:

It has the feel of Utzon’s Bagsvaerd Church, which is not a bad thing!

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QPMLJA2pE2U/Sdvk0kjYpkI/AAAAAAAAAUI/oCHyXcXADbo/s400/utzon-bagsvaerdchurg-pritzker03.jpg&imgrefurl=http://anuradhachatterjee-arch1201-2009.blogspot.com/2009/04/steven-holl-paviljoen-het-oosten-le.html&usg=__vrYZ2I3mfTtNJD4CLR92eww-fXE=&h=218&w=350&sz=17&hl=en&start=14&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Eex6WikKmc3acM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dutzon%2Bbagsvaerd%2Bchurch%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

Example of designing a space through “extruding” a profiled section. The way that light enters the space in Utzon’s Church is more inventive and gives a more dramatic effect than just coming from the side like here.

# September 14, 2010 at 13:37

9:11 PM Sep 7th

ELS

RT @archdaily: Jasper Place Branch Library / HCMA http://archdai.ly/9fnwmL #architecture

9:16 PM Sep 7th

Projecta UFBA

Biblioteca no Canadá, destaque para a maquete virtual. http://archdai.ly/9fnwmL

11:23 PM Sep 7th

Bocetos Digitales

Jasper Place Branch Library / HCMA: Courtesy of HCMACanadian architects HCMA shared with us their project “Jasper … http://bit.ly/awEj2W

DEZIGN

Jasper Place Branch Library / HCMA: Courtesy of HCMACanadian architects HCMA shared with us their project “Jasper … http://bit.ly/cc6AcX