phillips exeter academy library phillips exeter academy library exeter new_hampshire volumes levels shelf capacity volumes largest secondary school library world phillips exeter academy independent boarding school clear 1950s library existing building school initially hired architect proposed traditional design new building deciding instead construct library contemporary design school gave commission library received year award award recognizes architecture enduring significance given building year structured library concentric square rings outer ring built load bearing brick includes exterior walls library spaces immediately inside middle ring built reinforced concrete holds heavy book inner ring dramatic enormous circular openings walls reveal floors book history services library single small room member class remembered containing old history scarcely read late library rooms volumes davis library added campus space volumes major improvement atmosphere standards later generations locked students example librarian office located entrance maximize control entry decisions book selections library program hands male faculty committee instead female librarian armstrong librarian graduate degree library science moves open students solved problem real difficulty lack space library contained volumes point stored cardboard boxes lack shelf room years effort armstrong eventually succeeded bringing new library academy architect chosen design new library ready occupancy architectural historian acknowledged architectural significance photo book modern architecture essays november classes suspended day students faculty staff moved books library volumes time old new library librarian shortly new library occupied supervised transition new building new way operating library staff encouraged instructors regular faculty emphasis library patrons piano installed library began lectures concerts librarian faculty status oversaw staff seven graduate degrees library science thomas tenure library collection programming grew size appropriate small liberal arts college today library houses volumes levels shelf capacity volumes making largest secondary school library world library contains collection works alumni library building campus thanks armstrong supplied library sufficient space needed coming computer revolution library officially named class library honoring exeter eighth principal served choosing architect project build new larger library began progressed slowly years mid-1960s connor architectural firm designed libraries west_point chosen design new library drafted plans traditional architecture arrived new principal academy point found design unsatisfactory dismissed declaring intention hire best contemporary architect world design library school building committee tasked finding new architect influential members committee interested early stage interviewed prominent architects including prospects received boost son attended exeter called armstrong invited visit california recently built widespread acclaim awarded commission library november thought deeply proper design library having earlier submitted proposals new library expressed deep reverence books saying book important paid price book paid printing describing book offering said precious book light offering light privilege offering library tells offering building committee carefully considered wanted new library presented ideas unusually detailed document went drafts early designs included items eventually rejected roof garden exterior towers stairs open weather removed plans building committee reminded features practical new_england winters architecture library shape sides feet wide feet tall constructed concentric areas called words author beginning design process conceived types spaces buildings constructed different materials different scales buildings buildings outer area houses reading brick middle area contains heavy book reinforced concrete inner area library heating cooling needs supplied nearby dining hall built time library considered architectural significance exterior building committee document specified new library handsome inviting contemporary style accordingly building exterior relatively suitable small new_england town facade primarily brick teak wood panels windows marking location pair wooden bricks load bearing weight outer portion building carried bricks hidden steel frame calls fact viewer attention making brick piers noticeably thicker weight bear windows wider piers thinner said weight brick makes dance like fairy corners building cut allowing viewers outer parts building structure outer encyclopedia architects says perceived building enclosed plate walls emphasis structural form interrupted plates corner leaving gap library exeter new_hampshire classic example brick plate walls house library feet deep exterior walls row openings similar windows openings roof glass said drawn architecture based solid primitive masonry masses glass bottoms window like openings feet floor arcade follows perimeter building arcade circles building ground floor disliked idea building dominated entrance concealed main entrance library arcade original design called landscaping paved indicated entrance disrupting symmetry facade architectural historian said hidden entrance statement design begins periphery circle individual separate window interior circular double staircase built concrete faced visitor entry library stairs visitor enters dramatic central hall enormous circular openings reveal floors book massive concrete cross beams light entering windows author time style said comparisons experience entering exeter main space entering cathedral accidental clearly wanted students sense arrival succeeded worked architect said building temple temple science temple government exeter temple learning visible floor central hall layout library clear visitor goals academy building committee set central room feet high measured floor beginning roof structure feet wide dimensions approximate ratio known golden section studied ancient greeks considered ideal architectural ratio centuries circle square combined dramatically considered geometric units ancient roman architect noted human body fit shapes concept famously expressed combined circle square drawing specifications academy building committee called large number library placed near windows receive natural light point matched personal perfectly strongly preferred natural light known worked window refusing switch electric light days pair large window individual small window desk height sliding panel adjusting light placement spaces periphery product thinking began years earlier submitted proposals new library traditional arrangement completely separate library spaces books readers usually book periphery library reading rooms center instead felt reading spaces near books natural light essence library act taking book shelf walking steps window closer look man book goes light library begins way feet away electric light area associated levels book upper level structured book look inherent brick plate wall structure outer library helps create atmosphere felt appropriate library explaining proposal library example monastic library england explain desire find space construction system inherent support wall bearing masonry construction appealing structural order provide naturally spaces architectural interpretations architectural experts differ interpretations design example cross beams windows massive says appear structural far deeper necessary important role sunlight coming surrounding windows reflect thinks story asserting concrete shaped cross ceiling exeter library exaggerated dramatic effect goes sublime gesture concrete cross illuminated windows weight appears ready come crashing sense threat dissipated familiarity brick skin wood details similarly floated massive concrete structure sanctuary rochester designed years earlier issue extent deliberately introduced elements buildings atmosphere ruins spoke wrapping ruins buildings context project essay ruins rome argues followed practice buildings including library saying library new_hampshire won let building wants remain ruin walls don connect remain like hollow shell hand avoids interpretation entry wrote discussing arrangement exterior components wrote relationship daylight determining element solution formal desire create ruins critics suggested describes corners library phillips exeter saying device structural importance corner greatly reduced buildings like exeter library constructed reinforced concrete modern materials recognition gave library year award architecture enduring significance given building year issued stamp recognized library library ranked list america favorite architecture
Phillips Exeter Academy Library