Scheme drawn up for lakeside site in planned community in Maryland
Heatherwick Studio has revealed its designs for its first public library scheme, in Maryland in the US.
The five-storey building will function as a community centre in the centre of Columbia, a planned community built in 1967 by the Rouse Company which was designed to eliminate racial, religious and class segregation.
Heatherwick’s plans have been drawn up for US public library operator Howard County Libraries and the Howard Hughes Corporation, which has owned the town since 2004.
The Howard Hughes Corporation is the successor to the original development company founded by American tycoon Howard Hughes, who was made famous by his work in film production and aviation including the 1947 construction of the Spruce Goose, the largest flying boat ever built.
Heatherwick Studio said the library had been designed to reflect the changed roles that libraries have as a centre of community events, learning and lending of objects, rather than just a repository of books.
“Columbia has always been driven by a socially radical vision,” said the practice’s partner and group leader Stuart Wood.
“This legacy inspired us to evolve the traditional library beyond books and into a new type of community centre for broader learning and social exchange.
“A walkable, planted building that emerges from the lakeside landscape will house an amphitheatre for events, play areas and light filled rooms designed for working and learning anything from cooking to IT. This will be the community centre everyone in Howard County deserves.”
The building will be set on Columbia’s main promenade with views of Lake Kittamaqundi.
It will consist of a series of overlapping planted staircases fronting a double-height atrium, with facilities inside including work spaces, play areas, a makers’ lab, a teaching kitchen and a cafe.
Construction is expected to start in late 2024 with a public opening scheduled for 2027.
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