Through A Lens

In this design studio, we used the site of the Atlanta Central Library to experiment with contemporary forms of a library concept.

Our proposal is for a curated experience. Composed of a vault embraced by a series of connective components, the new library will inspire through both its space and materiality as well as through its focused expositions of knowledge.

Rather than thousands of books, the library will offer a series of much smaller selections oriented around specific topics. These selections will feature not only physical books but also digital and mixed media. Each month a few guest experts will be brought in to organize a selection around their area of expertise. This will lead to a continual variety of offerings, with each new selection acting as a sort of exhibition -- albeit one where you can borrow the content. We can imagine a curated selection by architectural historians focusing on Koolhaas’s oeuvre. Or a collection curated by filmmakers on the evolution of the French New Wave. The endless possibilities both make the library more focused and broader. It will attract both ardent fans of the topic, and those who simply want to learn more.