Narratives
Introduction (Amada)
A library, which was once seen as a
dark, old restricted area full of books for communal education, has attained a
new definition as technology has progressed. It is now redefined as a center for
unrestricted access to information in a variety of formats from a myriad of
sources. Libraries are beginning to
extend services beyond the physical building by offering materials accessible
through electronic means and by offering program spaces such as conference rooms.
The ACE Team 8 plan expresses this new
innovative definition of a library by incorporating sustainable design features
such as a green roof, Brise-soleil and an Automated Storage and Retrieval
System (ASRS). Moreover, Team 8 has created the perfect balance between an
intimate and communal setting. By designing an open area, the team has
encouraged the public to socialize more and congregate for group projects while
still having comfortable reading nooks for those who crave a more intimate
setting. Furthermore, Team 8 has
established designated program areas with respect to each stage of development.
For example, Team 8 has created a more
interactive, hands-on setting for children and a technology-oriented setting
for teens.
Site Selection
Bakersfield, California has the
lowest literacy rate in America. Thus it became the team’s objective to
renovate a library in this area and the Rathbun Branch library was selected.
The current library contains 7,000 square feet while the renovated design will
take up 33,000 square feet. The renovated library contains the ASRS, terracotta
rain screen system, glass curtain walls and solar panel roof. It will also contain more open space for
entertainment. We also provide different
rooms for children, teens and adults. The library also consists of a café with
fresh, nutritious food. All current
technology was replaced and renewed. The
outside of the library uses brie solei’s that make the library more appealing
to people walking by. All these aspects
are necessary to attract people into the library. The area holds the record of
having the lowest literacy rate in America. The renovated library can help
increase the literacy rate and be the bright new attraction and resource to the
residents of Bakersfield California.
Concept Idea
Bakersfield, California is mostly
known for its agriculture and vegetation. Vegetation and plants all originate from
seeds. Looking at a magnified version of
a seed influenced the design of our structure. The seeds free flowing pattern
and exoskeleton was incorporated into the pattern of the façade that surrounds
the building.
Design Inspiration
(Tynasia)
Design Process
We came to our decision on the
design of our library through a simple design process. We first began our
design process by brainstorming. We
listed key ideas that we all agreed upon and key points that we wanted to
expand upon, such as whether we wanted our library to be made out of glass or
the interior to be visible from the outside. Once we came to certain ideas and concepts we
began narrowing things down and considering pros and cons of that idea for
example making the building glass came with its pros and cons itself. The pros
were, the interior would be visible from the outside drawing people inside the
library, but one of the cons was the potential for vandalism. After we
brainstormed and came to a mutual agreement as to what we wanted the library to
be we began to complete charettes, otherwise known as quick sketches used to
come up with a design. We then began
narrowing down our ideas down and incorporating the best ideas from the
charettes into our final design. Our
final design was the result of the best ideas we came up with all incorporated into
one floor plan.
Design Process
(Adrian)
Attraction
What are some
of the key attractions of the newly redesigned library you ask? The building is
that it is made from the latest materials that not only visually appealing but
also holds its ground against nature. Another key attraction is that the
library uses the latest technology. The library
will feature smart computers with the latest software as well as tablets for
individual usage. The library uses the latest book storage/retrieval system
(ASRS.) The ASRS makes it a fast, easy and
efficient source to store and retrieve people’s books. It is perfectly suited
for the environment in California where the potential for earthquakes exists. A recent example is the University of
Northridge. The Oviatt Library on its
campus uses the ASRS and in the Northridge earthquake on January 17, 1994
almost 100% of the library's open shelf collection was dumped on the floor. However, not one book in the ASRS was damaged.
No bin was in danger of falling. This
just proved that the ASRS system proves to be less susceptible to damage than
the regular book stacking system.
In addition
to the use of modern technology, we also used the most beautiful, cost
efficient and recyclable materials in the library. Some of the materials include sound atenuating
glass, Terra Cotta rain screens, glass
curtain walls, a marble entrance and the main supplemental energy for
electricity for the building, solar panels. This library will promote a positive social and
learning atmosphere.
Some of the areas housed on the first floor include a teen
room, front desk and circulation area, staff lounge as well as the mechanical room.
The teen area includes soft seating areas and reading tables with chairs, with
OPAC computer stations and printers, a sound studio, information and reference
desks. A youth counselor will serve as a
resource to teens. This area will provide teens with a social and an enriching
learning environment. A staff lounge will
be available to allow staff to meet and relax. The guest desk will greet people
and provide information on the library and its offerings. The circulation area
will be an area people will go to check out and return books. The mechanical, electrical, plumbing and trash
recycling areas are rooms will be used by the janitors to ensure that the
library is running smoothly. A walk off mat outside the building will lead to
reading nooks or benches. In the work and
bin room there will be the main documents and records on people that borrow
books.
The second floor consists of a children’s area. This area includes a story
telling and soft seating area, picture books, hardcover and paperback books for
children to read or listen to a story in a comfortable setting. This area will also feature OPAC computers
stations with printers. The children will have access to a reference table
where they can speak with a librarian and get help for whatever they need.
Environmental
Sustainabilty
Environmental sustainability is a
key goal for our nation. Businesses and
corporations include renewable energy sources into their building to save time
and money. Our renovated Bakersfield Library is built out of renewable
resources and materials such as a rubber carpet flooring that’s less
susceptible to damage and easily recycled. We also incorporated a solar panel rooftop to generate electricity for the library’s
general usage. One solar panel can
generate as much as 100-200 watts per square meter of electricity. Throughout
the library, fluorescent light bulbs and LED’s will also be installed.
Fluorescent light bulbs and LED’s not only proven to be bright like the sun but
also save as much as $200 or more per light bulb/ LED (a year?). The building is also designed with a “Green
Roof.” The green roof will be great for growing plants to help air pollution. It will also be connected to a drainage
system to recycle water for plantation usage.
EPDM Roofing (junjie
kuang)
Rubber roofing, or EPDM roofing, is
an extremely durable synthetic material widely use in low-slope buildings in the
United States. Rubber roofing is used to
prevent water leaking, as well as prevent UV light from the sun. Rubber roofing
can last up to 40 years. It is made out of membranes ethylene, propylene and
diene. The cost of this rubber roofing
cost from $2.08-$3.16 depending on the quality of the product. The benefits of
using EPDM roofing consist of high resistance to external factors like weather,
heat and steam.
Terracotta Rain
Screen System
Terracotta Rain
Screen
The new library has the newest Terracotta Rain screen. The terracotta rain screen is incorporated
with the Terraclad system. This system
includes ship-lapped open joints that shield the structural wall from wind
driven rain and snow while also ventilating the air space to mitigate mold and
mildew growth. The Terra cotta panels contain an aluminum framing system which
has the durability of a masonry installation with no weight at all. This makes
the library less susceptible to environmental damage. In addition, the primary wall system has a
continuous insulation outboard. The
mortar-less system contains a low maintenance, high durability, and less
susceptible to damage from nature. This
will make the library feel safer than your home. The advantage of the
Terracotta Rainscreen system is that it allows air to circulate behind the
panels to provide pressure equalization, preventing water from being drawn into
the building. Additionally, a vapor barrier on the outside face of the back-up
wall acts as a final air and water barrier. The ventilated Terracotta
Rainscreen system keeps the overall building dry and protected from the harsh weather
conditions without the use of grout or sealants and without any need for
maintenance.
Cool Roofs
Cool roofs help many building
owners save a lot of money while protecting the environment. Traditional dark
roofs can reach up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit in a hot summer day, but with the
cool roof in the same condition, it can stay at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool roofs can help lower energy bills by
decreasing air conditioning needs. Cool
roofs block the sun's radiation when sunlight hits the roof. Some heat is absorbed
by the roof and transferred to the building below and the heat is released at
the other end of the building. The price
varies for cool roofs for low-slope roofs vs. steep-slope roofs. Low-slope roofs cost about $0.75-$1.50 per
square foot whereas steep slopes roofs cost about $1.50-$3.00 per square
foot. A California study found that cool
roofs provide an average yearly net savings of almost 50 cents per square foot.
Glass Curtain Wall
Wind Loads (Lester)
The library has to be determined to
be up to code when in construction and when completed. The main wind force
resisting system and all components and cladding has to be designed and
constructed to resist wind loads. The risk factor category of the building has
to be determined first. The risk factor is the amount of damage that the
building will have on the surrounding community if it is shut down. The library
has been determined to have a risk factor of one (1) because there is little
risk to human life if the building is shut down. The wind speed is then
determined based on the risk factor. The wind speed in that area was determined
to be 100 mph. From there the surface
roughness is determined. The surface roughness in the building that
is surrounding the structure that is being built/renovated. The library has
been determined to have a surface roughness B because it has surroundings and
is located in an urban to suburban area. The Exposure category is then
determined by the height of the building. The height of the library should be
over 30 feet so it falls in the exposure category of exposure B. Then the
topographic factor was determined afterward using the symbol (Kzt). The
topographic factor was determined to be 1.0 because there was no escarpment or
ridges/hills surrounding the area.
Vegetation and In
Bakersfield, California
With such variant habitats in California, they have a large variety of
plants that are native to the California area. Plants such as the Western flax, and the
Sierra tiger Lily are native plants to Bakersfield. Native plants generally cost more than foreign
plants ranging from 10 to 20% more in cost. The price of the plants is directly
based on their desirability the more costly being the drought resistance plant
for the reason that Bakersfield is a generally dry area. Popularity is found be based on the color of
the plant and its drought resistance, meaning that it needs less watering than
most plants. The Manzanitas, or California Lilacs, are a very popular choice
for those reasons.
