The Calabazas Branch Library is a bright, contemporary building located in west San Jose. The site enjoys nature on three sides – Rodeo Creek and the Community Garden adjacent, and Calabazas Park across the street. The arrival sequence is designed through the generous entry plaza specifically planted on the west side as part of a passive shading solution for west facing spaces and shading for patrons reading outside. From this Plaza, patrons are greeted by a welcoming and dramatic volume – the main marketplace form reaching out through a collage of colored glazing. This volume forms an entry overhang, its large colorful glass area will bring filtered daylight into the high volume marketplace, and will glow like a welcoming lantern in evenings when lit from within.

The building is crisp in its architectural forms, and imparts an engaging sense of fun. Super-graphic letters inform passers-by that language is important here – “aBc” at the children’s end of the building, and a corresponding “xYz” facing the entry plaza from the community room. The street and plaza are engaged by specifically crafted views into these spaces, around and through the translucent letters which also serve as shading devices for west facing glazing. The building interior is organized around the marketplace, accented with the the tall entry volume with light streaming in. From here, major destinations are easily identifiable. The children’s gateway plays on the ‘language’ vocabulary established with the exterior letters. A large suspended exclamation point serves as a way-finder drawing the youngest patrons into the story telling space. The main view through the marketplace terminates at the north end of the building, featuring a fireplace in the living room, and large north facing glazing areas with views to the community garden. Immediately adjacent the marketplace, and opposite the children’s area is the teen room and internet café. Daylight is captured here, with large windows overlooking the creek.

The Fair Swim Center is a public swimming pool facility for the City of San Jose Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods.

The main building’s dynamic forms and mix of materials features a spine wall element, designed to maximize the efficiency of the staff, by effectively dividing the building into public and administrative areas but at all locations sliding partitions and glazed openings allow key personnel to maintain visual contact of visitors.

Several methods of construction were integrated, including wood and steel structural framing, concrete block, exposed glu-lam roof beams, wood siding & decking, and stucco. Glazing at both ends takes advantage of San Jose’s temperate climate, with an open Lobby design incorporating tall ceilings and Low-E glazing that captures views of the foothills beyond, maximizes day lighting; natural ventilation with large operable panes along the axis provides visibility into the space and the park beyond for managing security concerns. The interior incorporates all materials from the exterior into a cohesive architectural statement.  An open Lobby and Waiting Area with high ceilings look out through tall windows to the pool deck and the foothills beyond.

* INDICATES PROJECTS COMPLETED BY STUDIO G ARCHITECTS PRINCIPALS WHILE AT PREVIOUS FIRMS, WHERE PRINCIPALS ARCHITECTS, INC.
WERE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND/OR MANAGEMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.

From day one, this community wanted the new branch built only on the existing site, a site that was only slightly larger than the programmatic requirements for the new branch.  The program quickly dictated that we would be designing a library over parking because of the site area. Our challenge was to make a connection to the street for the patrons, disguise surface level parking, meet strong contextual requirements of a well established, historic San Jose neighborhood AND create a building with a strong civic presence.  The resulting building design uses traditional materials to break up the massing and relate to the community’s desire for the classic materials and rich detailing found in their homes, but does it all in a way that the scale, massing gestures and character of the building speak to the civic presence that the City of San Jose Public Library wants every new Branch Library to have.  No longer tucked into a nondescript building on a corner, the new library’s limestone clad arcade sweeps towards the street embracing approaching patrons.  The two story glass clad lobby captures the activities of patrons coming and going to the library, and becomes a frame for arrival and departures.  Public features like the entry and the community room were kept on the first floor street facades, to engage pedestrians, and provide a ‘facade’ to screen the parking behind, while maintaining all of the libraries space that requires staff monitoring to be kept on a single (second story) level. Interiors were carefully designed in collaboration with the BLDT team, maximizing efficiency and visibility for staff, and capturing the spirit of ‘The San Jose Way’ creating a vibrant retail ambiance.  The marketplace is the central axis upon entering the second floor.  From there, a cross axis defines the adult stack areas and the gateway opening to the children’s place.  Key features within the Children’s space are highlighted with “spotlights’ using natural day lighting from circular framed skylights. At the opposite end, the living room is tucked under a two story wall of glazing, the large windows looking out to the community’s beloved Redwood grove at the edge of the site.  The scale feels large and grand, yet still comfortable with a book, by the fire, nestled into the trees.

The exterior building material palette is integrated on the interior to create a cohesive palette coordinated with the branded finish scheme. These interior areas were studied using color rendered three dimensional models to study day lighting, color palettes, and site lines.  Clerestory windows, high performance glazing and green materials all contributed to the building design exceeding requirements for LEED certification.

* INDICATES PROJECTS COMPLETED BY STUDIO G ARCHITECTS PRINCIPALS WHILE AT PREVIOUS FIRMS, WHERE PRINCIPALS ARCHITECTS, INC.
WERE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND/OR MANAGEMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.

The Willow Glen Branch Library fits seamlessly into the context of its residential neighborhood, rich in architectural character, both inside and out. Patrons enter under a stained wood arbor that continues through to the building interior. Housed in a 13,400-square-foot facility, the floor plan’s open layout allows for easy, self-directed service and navigation and is user-friendly for both patrons and employees. The design details and the interior finish palette marries the client’s desire for a vibrant retail environment, and the community’s request for comfortable and homey spaces.

The design solution organized the plan around an existing  tree as a focal point, creating a courtyard for the living giant that is embraced by the building and visible from all primary areas of the library. In the children’s area, references to the tree become graphic representations of the branches, floating leaves are interpreted in a three-dimensional way shaping the ceiling, and defining a gather point for storytelling. The storyteller’s custom made bench is ‘spotlighted’ by a skylight that catches a glimpse of the oak tree and sky above. The repeated use of these shapes, heights, colors, and use of materials is all intended to inspire imagination in the children’s area.

These whimsical gestures towards the outdoors and the beloved oak in the children’s area become more controlled and familiar within the main marketplace and adult reading areas. The materials and detailing, including natural wood slats, painted wooden trim and paneling, stained wood shelving and built in seating create a warm comfortable ‘feeling of home’ the community desired for their Library, with its own views into the courtyard. Design team, client, and community users have been delighted that the new branch library not only reflects the culture and philosophies of the City of San Jose Branch Library development team, but also the desires of the Willow Glen community.

* INDICATES PROJECTS COMPLETED BY STUDIO G ARCHITECTS PRINCIPALS WHILE AT PREVIOUS FIRMS, WHERE PRINCIPALS ARCHITECTS, INC.
WERE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND/OR MANAGEMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.