The library at the 1960s Jackson Street School was aging and underutilized, prompting a movement to update and modernize it. TDA worked on this project pro bono, one of many community-oriented projects that TDA has undertaken on a volunteer basis since 1990.
TDA began our research with various stakeholders by conducting focus groups with teachers, students, administrators and parents. This information was combined with contemporary theories of how libraries function in the 21st century, focusing on the creation of discreet spaces or classrooms that promote social interaction and collaboration.
The library, which had consisted of a single large room containing rows of tall stacks with a few auxiliary offices, was intentionally divided into a series of classrooms-like spaces using only furniture and equipment to define those spaces. The book stacks were reduced in height and many were removed to promote natural light in the low-ceilinged space and splashes of bright and vibrant colors were introduced to further enliven the library.
Rendering of proposed design