flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Smith College’s newly renovated Neilson Library honors its past as it moves into the future

Libraries

Smith College’s newly renovated Neilson Library honors its past as it moves into the future

Adding more space for the library's Special Collections was a design imperative.


By John Caulfield, Senior Editor | July 9, 2021
Smith College's 200,000-sf Neilson Library has undergone an extensive renovation and expansion.
Courtesy Smith College

On March 29, the Smith College Neilson Library, on the Northampton, Mass., campus of Smith College, reopened to students after a four-year, $120 million renovation and expansion that reimagine the library’s 200,000 sf, in the conception of its architectural designer Maya Lin, as an intellectual commons.

Maya Lin Studios teamed with principal architect Shepley Bulfinch and the construction management firm Shawmut Design & Construction on what was Smith College’s largest capital project in a decade.

Also see: A video tour of the completed library here.

The original Smith College library opened in 1909 and had gone through three rounds of renovation before this current project, which included replacing wings that blocked the view of this Berkshires-nestled campus (designed by Frederick Law Olmstead) with two new wings that have a curved, light-filled design made from masonry, wood, and glass.

The library is illuminated by an oculus

An oculus provides natural light throughout the library's four floors.

 

The original building now forms the library’s core whose spacious atrium is illuminated by a four-story oculus. The central floor offers a massive reading area, and the building features flexible and collaborative workspaces, classrooms, contemplative study areas, a sunken courtyard, and event spaces that include an accessible outdoor amphitheater. On the fourth floor, a Skyline Terrace provides sweeping views and an outdoor patio.

 

Bringing Smith College Neilson Library Into the 21st Century

One of the new wings added to the library

One of two wings, made of masonry, wood, and glass, that were added to the library's original building.

 

There’s a Digital Media Hub where students can record podcasts, videos and other media; self-service labs where students can use technologies, such as spatial analysis, gaming software, survey software, and GIS; a User Experience Lab for research and usability testing; and access to large-format and 3D printers, as well as other creativity tools.

The north wing is filled with spaces to support active learning and scholarship, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The south wing brings together special collections—40,000 lineal ft of archival materials—into one climate-controlled space.

“Our team brought to life a groundbreaking vision, one which honors Smith College’s rich history and tradition while providing bespoke capabilities that will serve generations of future students with the latest in sustainability and technology,” says Ron Simoneau, Shawmut’s Executive Vice President.

As part of this project, the nearby Alumnae Gym was renovated and connected to Neilson Library by an interior walkway.  Edwina von Gal with Ryan Associates designed the surrounding exterior landscaping.

Neilson Library’s sustainability aspects include a high-performance building envelope, advanced daylighting strategies, and materials that promote health and wellness. The building also has the ability to become an all-electric complex and is pursuing LEED V.4 Gold certification.

Tags

Related Stories

| Mar 26, 2014

Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies

Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com. 

| Mar 20, 2014

Common EIFS failures, and how to prevent them

Poor workmanship, impact damage, building movement, and incompatible or unsound substrate are among the major culprits of EIFS problems. 

| Mar 13, 2014

Do you really 'always turn right'?

The first visitor center we designed was the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center for the Everglades National Park in 1993. I remember it well for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the ongoing dialogue we had with our retail consultant. He insisted that the gift shop be located on the right as one exited the visitor center because people “always turn right.” 

| Mar 12, 2014

14 new ideas for doors and door hardware

From a high-tech classroom lockdown system to an impact-resistant wide-stile door line, BD+C editors present a collection of door and door hardware innovations. 

| Feb 14, 2014

Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture

The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.

| Jan 28, 2014

16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]

The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.

| Jan 13, 2014

Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects

The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.

| Jan 11, 2014

Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]

When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings. 

Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014

9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape

Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country. 

| Dec 13, 2013

Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety

From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies. 

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category

Libraries

New mass timber Teddy Roosevelt library aims to be one with nature

On July 4, 2026, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is scheduled to open on 93 acres in Medora, a town in North Dakota with under 130 permanent residents, but which nonetheless has become synonymous with the 26th President of the United States, who lived there for several years in the 1880s.


Giants 400

Top 20 Public Library Construction Firms for 2023

Gilbane Building Company, Skanska USA, Manhattan Construction, McCownGordon Construction, and C.W. Driver Companies top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest public library general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. 


Giants 400

Top 30 Public Library Engineering Firms for 2023

KPFF Consulting Engineers, Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group, Thornton Tomasetti, WSP, and Dewberry top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest public library engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.


Giants 400

Top 50 Public Library Architecture Firms for 2023

Quinn Evans, McMillan Pazdan Smith, PGAL, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Gensler top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest public library architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021