Portfolio Category: Special Touches

The Library is, in itself, a work of art. Every detail was carefully designed to be not only useful but aesthetically pleasing. From the exterior design with its gates and trellises and art walls to the interior with its light-splashed open spaces filled with art, this is a building to delight the mind and senses.

Children’s Room

The Children’s Room is designed to set young minds soaring.

  • Six soft-sculpture fruit shapes are suspended from the ceiling of the light-filled Book Tower.
  • The avocado couch and the orange-sectioned ottoman are places to read and dream.

With a wide variety of programs and events open to all children, this area is one of the busiest places in the Library.

Reading Garden

The outdoor Reading Garden has three main features:

  • The “Turning Page” trellis by Christopher Pardell. This monumental sculpture reflects the community’s commitment to books and learning.
  • Water cascades over two beautiful basalt columns at the back wall of the garden, bringing peace and serenity to this delightful area.
  • The wall enclosing the garden includes layers of handmade tiles, found objects, pebbles and more by Betsy Schulz.  The piece  represents the sedimentary layers of the earth. Poems and quotes screened onto tiles express the theme in words. How we live on the land and use it will eventually get recycled or reinterpreted into something new. From this soil grows plants, communities, new ideas, libraries.

The Green Roof

An innovative design

A portion of the roof is planted with succulents…the first innovative garden roof for a San Diego Library. Tiny succulent plants were grown in trays for six months before being transplanted onto the roof. Besides the intrinsic beauty of design, the planted roof absorbs heat from the roof and insulates the building, reducing air conditioning costs. Additionally, the eco-roof creates a new wildlife habitat for birds.

The roof is starting to fill in…