The $33.1 million, 35,000-sf Elkridge (Md.) branch library, which opened March 10, replaced a library half its size that was built in 1993. The bigger facility is needed for a market whose population is projected to grow by 40% to 38,000 by 2030.
Beyond lending books and DVDs, the library’s DIY Education Center lends household tools like ladders, tape measures, sanders, wheelbarrows, and sewing machines, for free (with a $1 per day late-returning charge). The building also has a 10,000-sf senior center, with its own entrance, where patrons 50 years or older can avail themselves of programs for fitness, wellness, nutrition, and technology education.
“It’s kind of a one-stop shop, and it’s offering what society is craving: hands-on learning,” observes Melanie Hennigan, AIA, President of Grimm + Parker Architects, which designed this building.
Photo: Grimm + Parker Architects
The building is located parallel to Route 1, and interior lighting that shines through its windows makes this library highly visible during evening hours. Being next to a residential neighborhood, the library reinforces its connection to the community via walking trails and walkways that cross over nearby wetlands, says Hennigan.
The Building Team on this project included: Grimm + Parker Architects (design architect), Howard County Dept. of Public Works, Howard County Library System, Howard County Office of Aging and Independence (owners reps), Costello Construction (GC), Pennoni Associates (CE), Columbia Engineering (SE), Gipe Associates (MEP), Bradley Site Design (landscape architect), Sustainable Design Consulting (LEED consultant).
Related Stories
| Oct 23, 2013
Gehry, Foster join Battersea Power Station redevelopment
Norman Foster and Frank Gehry have been selected to design a retail section within the £8 billion redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London.
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.
| Oct 15, 2013
Cass Gilbert's landmark St. Louis Central Library gets a reboot
A $70 million project returns large sections of the building to their original Beaux Arts beauty, while modernizing the spaces to make them more inviting and useful for today’s patrons.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
| Sep 16, 2013
Study analyzes effectiveness of reflective ceilings
Engineers at Brinjac quantify the illuminance and energy consumption levels achieved by increasing the ceiling’s light reflectance.
| Sep 11, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 3 coverage
Day 3 coverage of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo, taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Sep 10, 2013
BUILDINGChicago eShow Daily – Day 2 coverage
The BD+C editorial team brings you this real-time coverage of day 2 of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland conference and expo taking place this week at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza.
| Aug 26, 2013
What you missed last week: Architecture billings up again; record year for hotel renovations; nation's most expensive real estate markets
BD+C's roundup of the top construction market news for the week of August 18 includes the latest architecture billings index from AIA and a BOMA study on the nation's most and least expensive commercial real estate markets.