As architecture has evolved to include advanced building envelopes, innovative structural systems, and hybrid programs, new boundaries have been drawn. Sustainable practices and passive strategies have led architects to re-imagine building skins and the relationship between interior and exterior. While different typologies are designed with varied levels of permeability, libraries demand rigorous attention to performative facades and protected programs. This holds especially true when libraries are placed within radically changing landscapes. Coastal architecture has become increasingly threatened by the climatic crisis, rising sea levels, and erosion. Here, natural processes reveal global stories. While the number of coastal libraries is relatively small, these important spaces juxtapose extreme constraints and cultural values. As public spaces, they promote knowledge and information, as well as exchange and understanding. Each of the following projects showcases an unique approach to coastal contexts through individual explorations into library design. Together, they show innovative methods to defining new spatial boundaries and embracing maritime design.
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