CHARLES E. YOUNG RESEARCH LIBRARY, UCLA, USA |
Monday 26 Mar 2012
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UCLA has completed restorations and renovations of their Charles E. Young Research Library, the primary library for UCLA graduate students and faculty in humanities and social sciences.
The renovations focused on the first floor and lower level of this classic midcentury modern building designed by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons.
"Guided by the themes of discovery, journey and collaboration, we developed these new spaces to support pedagogy and research both now and into the future," said UCLA University Librarian Gary E. Strong. "Academic research libraries are no longer defined by their physical collections, and this redesign reshapes our collection access, services, and facilities to support our users throughout their academic and professional careers."
Top global interdisciplinary design firm Perkins+Will provided pre-design, programming and design services for renovation of the 1st Floor and A Level. In accordance with University of California policy, the renovations adhered to green building principles established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) national rating system. The building is expected to achieve the status of LEED Gold (Commercial Interiors 2.0) once the U.S. Green Building Council completes its review of the library's documentation.
As part of the new renovations, the Charles E. Young library now features:
• An open, collaborative research commons offering 22 flexible, technology-enabled "pods" in which students and faculty can utilize library resources, conduct research and work with one another.
• An adjacent space that houses the Laboratory for Digital Cultural Heritage, which is equipped with a large-screen rear-projection system and specialized workstations where courses are taught in UCLA's undergraduate digital humanities minor and graduate certificate program.
• An expansive, glass-enclosed reading room that supports quiet study and research, while still offering views of activities in surrounding spaces. Frequently used print reference materials are housed in this room and seating is available at both large tables and in individual lounge chairs.
• A spacious, technology-equipped conference room, which has been added to the library's conference center. The space has already accommodated conferences, film screenings and large group meetings.
• An open gallery adjacent to the front entrance, which currently houses an exhibit of unique and rare special collections materials related to Charles Dickens.
• A spacious, light-filled study commons on the library's lower level framed by views onto the green berm that surrounds the building.
The Research Library provides research-level collections, services and facilities for graduate students and faculty in the humanities and social sciences. It was constructed in two phases; the first opened in 1964 and the second in 1971. Since renovation, the new facilities have proven to be extremely popular with UCLA students, faculty and visitors. During the fall quarter of 2011, more than 195,000 people visited the library, more than double the number during the same period the year before.
Perkins+Will