Athenaeum of Philadelphia: Hospice for Learning

Athenaeum of Philadelphia: Hospice for Learning

Paintsil, Alexandra

Silver Spring, MD, USA

005-LF-S027

2014

The Catholic University of America

Student

Here is a world that renders the physically tangible obsolete, and processes and feeds reality though a machine. Here the youth are truly lost because what was once the academy is now a machine vacant of human interaction and the conventional classroom is a thing of the past. In this brave new world, the athenaeum offers those few who truly know what they want a safe haven, whilst facilitating future citizens fast paced ways of learning. This happens because the private libraries like the athenaeum will be the only piece of past and reality.

I propose an Athenaeum that is a sacred space. As a church is a hospice for the spiritually damaged, so this building will act as a hospice for the intellectually weak who yearn to explore the vast possibilities of the mind. It will achieve this idea by allowing the program to fold out to the public, enabling intrigue, and folding the public through a gallery into a central hub that is home to the traditions the Athenaeum has held sacred. These traditions include the reading rooms filled with books selected by members, study areas, lecture room, and the chess club.

46187528