Metadata
Title
Emergence: Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Creator
Adair, Kyle
Location
West Windsor, NJ, USA
Call Number
005-LF-S039
Date
2014
School
The Catholic University of America
Category
Student
Project Assumption
Like the tip of an iceberg breaking through the water, the future emerges from the past. Most of an iceberg lies below the water and keeps it steady, just as the past is the groundwork for the future, and the strongest support for moving forward.
The future Athenaeum will emerge from the past. It will be a destination for social interaction, offering what the digital world cannot provide—a productive work environment and real time collaboration with fellow library members. It will expand as an archive and research-conservation center. The Athenaeum: emerging the future of architecture.
The future Athenaeum will emerge from the past. It will be a destination for social interaction, offering what the digital world cannot provide—a productive work environment and real time collaboration with fellow library members. It will expand as an archive and research-conservation center. The Athenaeum: emerging the future of architecture.
Project Statement
The concept of emergence inspires the design. Crystalline forms allude to the iceberg metaphor emerging from the ground to create a distinctive landscape. These glass pavilions bathe the lower levels with a diffused, otherworldly light. At the entrance pavilion, one encounters a diagonal elevator traversing the different volumes and programmatic zones buried below grade. Half the space is devoted to public exhibits, study rooms and a multi-media auditorium and the other half is dedicated to private areas for extensive archives, conservation and administration. The Athenaeum will welcome visitors to share both past and future.
Registration Number
46190168