Ingleside Branch Library

21. Juni 2010

Ingleside Branch Library
2009

San Francisco, CA

Client
San Francisco Public Library

Architect

Fougeron Architecture
San Francisco

Design Principals

Anne Fougeron
David Schnee

Project Architect

Todd Aranaz

Project Team
Bassel Samaha
Michael Pierry
Ryan Jang
Vivian Dwyer

Associate Architect

Group 4 Architecture
Wayne, Gehrke
David Schnee
Prasasti Arief

Structural Engineer

Ingraham DeJesse Associates, Inc.

MEP/FP Engineer

G. M. Lim Associates
(Mechanical)
Pola Design & Engineering Inc.
(Electrical)

Landscape Architect

Patricia O'Brien Landscape Architecture

Contractor

CLW Builders

Construction Manager

San Francisco Department
of Public Works
(Brian Wong)

Technology Consultant

Smith Fause & McDonald Inc.

Site Area

10,665 sq ft

Building Area

6,075 sq ft
 


Night shot of front façade(Photos: Joe Fletcher)

Design Intent
Located on an Ocean Avenue corner lot, the design consists of a main reading room, children's reading room, community room, staff support space and an outdoor garden. The most striking element of the front façade, positioned prominently at the corner, is an egg-shaped children's reading room with a large, bench-seat window that puts its user's activities on display and encourages use of the library by younger patrons. The children's room is capped by a high canopy roof, extending over the entry and the lower community room volume along Ocean Avenue.

Reading room with reading alcoves facing towards courtyard

Inside, the spaces are designed to fuse historic interpretations of libraries as "temples of knowledge" with more common associations of books in the marketplace popularized by Borders and the like. In the main reading room, floor to ceiling books line the walls. Facing the courtyard, mahogany-clad carrels offer quiet, intimate spaces to read and relax. Benches are built into the glass edges creating a simple and elegant relationship between courtyard and interior spaces. Most importantly, this new branch library facilitates a central gathering space and enhances access to important resources for the neighborhood, while playing an essential role in the revitalization of Ocean Avenue. The robust, light-filled, and sustainable architectural design highlights the virtues and aspirations of this community: valuing the accessibility of knowledge and education for everyone.

Courtyard 

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

First an RFP was issued and we were selected as a potential architect for the SF Library Bond Program. Then, there was a competition which we won the commission to be the architect for the Ingleside Branch Library.

Floor Plan(Drawing: Fougeron Architecture)

Can you describe your design process for the building?

Throughout the design process, we were confronted with a variety of stakeholders including the neighborhood, the city, local staff, and those providing financing. This diverse group of entities often had competing interests and our job was to provide vision, leadership, and compromise throughout the process.
 


Composition diagram(Illustration: Fougeron Architecture)

How does the completed building compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

We designed the building during a weekend-long competition. While it has changed some, the essential concept has remained the same. Maintaining quality throughout the construction process is always a challenge, especially with a public, low-bid process.
 

Natural ventilation and daylight strategy(Illustration: Fougeron Architecture)

How does the building compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other building types?

While the scale is the same as the single-family houses we have previously completed, the program and process were certainly more complicated.

E-mail interview conducted by John Hill

Ingleside Branch Library
2009

San Francisco, CA

Client
San Francisco Public Library

Architect

Fougeron Architecture
San Francisco

Design Principals

Anne Fougeron
David Schnee

Project Architect

Todd Aranaz

Project Team
Bassel Samaha
Michael Pierry
Ryan Jang
Vivian Dwyer

Associate Architect

Group 4 Architecture
Wayne, Gehrke
David Schnee
Prasasti Arief

Structural Engineer

Ingraham DeJesse Associates, Inc.

MEP/FP Engineer

G. M. Lim Associates
(Mechanical)
Pola Design & Engineering Inc.
(Electrical)

Landscape Architect

Patricia O'Brien Landscape Architecture

Contractor

CLW Builders

Construction Manager

San Francisco Department
of Public Works
(Brian Wong)

Technology Consultant

Smith Fause & McDonald Inc.

Site Area

10,665 sq ft

Building Area

6,075 sq ft
 


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