Atlanta's Central Library, keep it or replace it? (organic, storage)

[cqholt]

Free film and public discussion about library's design

The 16 mm film by Kate Brown is simply titled “Atlanta’s Central Library.” Its showing will be accompanied next week by a panel discussion and conversation with two local architects who worked on the library design with Breuer.

The free event will happen Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. The film is just 16 minutes long, and the discussion is scheduled to last until 7 p.m.

https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/2/13...utalist-breuer

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Free film and public discussion about library's design


https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/2/13...utalist-breuer

Thanks, cq. It would be worth attending just to hear Preston Stevens.

[cqholt]

Central Library Renderings

On April 12, at a meeting in the basement auditorium of the decades-old Brutalist building designed by famed architect Marcel Breuer, neighbors of the library raised issues with plans they feel were whipped up without satisfactory community input.

Among the qualms people have with renderings, the biggest problem seems to be architect Cooper Carry’s idea to cut windows into the face of the 38-year-old building (as seen above).

Architects maintain the changes are needed to shed natural light on the interior.

https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/4/18...library-design

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Central Library Renderings


https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/4/18...library-design

Cool! I look forward to seeing it when it's done.

[Iconographer]

An abomination and an insult to the original vision of Marcel Breuer, who was worth 10 times what all of the hacks at Cooper Carry are worth put together.

[JPD]

This building should be treated as the significant architectural achievement that it is. Altering this building is going to be an international embarrassment for Atlanta, and the new design is not going to achieve the desired results. So what is the point?

The better options would be to leave the exterior as is, install new carpet, spruce up the interior to draw attention to the architectural features that are currently made practically invisible, get people inside the building by holding events people actually want to attend. Maybe add a cafe. People aren't going to flock to the library just because you add windows.

Short of that, sell it to GSU and build a new library somewhere else. There's still available land in Downtown.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by JPD

This building should be treated as the significant architectural achievement that it is. Altering this building is going to be an international embarrassment for Atlanta, and the new design is not going to achieve the desired results. So what is the point?

The better options would be to leave the exterior as is, install new carpet, spruce up the interior to draw attention to the architectural features that are currently made practically invisible, get people inside the building by holding events people actually want to attend. Maybe add a cafe. People aren't going to flock to the library just because you add windows.

Short of that, sell it to GSU and build a new library somewhere else. There's still available land in Downtown.

Testify.
Just so everybody knows what's at stake with this lousy proposal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Breuer

[arjay57]

Here's my take. I've long been a defender of keeping the existing central library. There's no denying its significance as part of Breuer's oeuvre.

However, in my opinion Brutalist architecture depends heavily on its setting. It really needs some open space to achieve the effect of its massing and material elements. Without that it runs the risk of being took dark and bulky.

That's why creating a plaza around the central library would be ideal. Just getting rid of the parking deck that hems it in at Fairlie would go a long way. But if that's not going to happen -- and apparently it isn't -- I am okay with adding some windows to bring more light into the building.

[cparker73]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Here's my take. I've long been a defender of keeping the existing central library. There's no denying its significance as part of Breuer's oeuvre.

However, in my opinion Brutalist architecture depends heavily on its setting. It really needs some open space to achieve the effect of its massing and material elements. Without that it runs the risk of being took dark and bulky.

That's why creating a plaza around the central library would be ideal. Just getting rid of the parking deck that hems it in at Fairlie would go a long way. But if that's not going to happen -- and apparently it isn't -- I am okay with adding some windows to bring more light into the building.

A plaza to set the building off would be great. What if they close the part of Forsyth Street in front of the library all the way to Peachtree to create a pocket park? Also, isn't that wedge where the Peachtree Center Marta shed is up for redevelopment for a mid-rise or something? You'll hardly be able to see the library at all from Peachtree if that happens. Windows aren't going to help anything if anything taller than two stories goes up on that lot.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Here's my take. I've long been a defender of keeping the existing central library. There's no denying its significance as part of Breuer's oeuvre.

However, in my opinion Brutalist architecture depends heavily on its setting. It really needs some open space to achieve the effect of its massing and material elements. Without that it runs the risk of being took dark and bulky.

That's why creating a plaza around the central library would be ideal. Just getting rid of the parking deck that hems it in at Fairlie would go a long way. But if that's not going to happen -- and apparently it isn't -- I am okay with adding some windows to bring more light into the building.

There's pretty good open space already, at least on the front side. It's clear all the way to the front door of the Georgia Pacific building. And when heading south on Peachtree and rounding the corner, the building appears in a dramatic way. Short of reclaiming three parking decks on the back and side, and a hotel on the other side, and turning them into parks, which obviously isn't going to happen, that's as much of a clearing as we're going to get.