Phillips Exeter Academy Library serves as Phillips Exeter Academy’s, an independent boarding school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, personal library. It is the largest secondary school library in the world, containing 160,000 volumes over nine levels, with a shelf capacity of 250,000 volumes.
Image source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_Exeter_Academy_Library
When it became clear in the1950sthat the school library had outgrown its existing building, the board initially hired an architect who proposed a traditional design for the new building. Deciding instead to construct a library with acontemporary design, the school gave the commission to renowned architectLouis I. Kahnin1965. Construction began inApril 1969and was completed in November1971. In1997, the library was officially named theClass of 1945 Library, honouring Dr.Lewis Perry, Exeter’s eighth principal (1914-1946).
The Designing Process and the Choice of a Contemporary Style
Meeting in1964and1965, the Academy committee conferred with numerous architects before recommendingLouis I. Kahnas the chosen one for the library, whom they admired“…for his sympathetic use ofbrickand his concern fornatural light.”
Kahnhad indeed already thought about the proper design for a library, having earlier submitted proposals for a new library at Washington University. He also expresseda deep reverence for books, describing them as a tremendously important offering.
Image source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Kahn#/media/File:Louis_Isadore_Kahn.jpg
A Detailed Plan for the New Library
Working withEngelhardtandLeggett, educational consultants from Purdy Station, New York, the building committee carefully considered what they wanted in a new library and presented their ideas toKahnin anunusually detailed documentthat went through more than fifty drafts. The early designs included some items that were eventuallyrejected, such as a roof garden and two exterior towers with stairs that were open to the weather.
Nonetheless, the committee had covered every aspect of the building, from philosophy to practical details, with great emphasis on the atmosphere desired both within and without the building. In addition to outliningfunctional requirementsfor the library, the committee specified site and exterior design, design details,staff facilities,spatial relationships, and items such asair conditioning,lighting, electrical and mechanicalequipment, and security, fire and waterprotection.
What’s the Library Structure?
Overall, the library has an almostcubical shape: each of its four sides is 33 m wide and 24 m tall.Kahnstructured the library in three concentricsquare rings, which he used to call “doughnuts”. The outer ring, which is built ofload-bearingbrick, includes all four exterior walls and the library carrel desks immediately inside them. The middle ring, which is built ofreinforcedconcrete, holds the heavy book stacks. The inner ring is a dramatic atrium with enormous circular openings in its walls that reveal several floors of book stacks.
In the words ofRobert McCarter, author of the bookLouis I. Kahn,
[…] from the very beginning of the design process, Kahn conceived of the three types of spaces as if they were three buildings constructed of different materials and of different scales – buildings-within-buildings.
– Robert McCarter
Exterior
Accordingly to the committee’s suggestion,Kahnmade the building’s exteriorrelatively undramatic, suitable for a small New England town. Its facade is primarilybrick withteakwood panelsat most windows marking the location of a pair ofwooden carrels. The bricks areload-bearing; that is, the weight of the outer portion of the building is carried by the bricks themselves, not by a hidden steel frame.Kahncalls this fact to the viewer’s attention by making the brick piers noticeably thicker at the bottom where they have more weight to bear. The windows are correspondingly wider toward the top where the piers are thinner.
The corners of the building arechamfered(cut off), allowing the viewers to see the outer parts of the building’s structure.
At the top of the exterior walls is arow of openingssimilar to the windows below except that these openings are above the roof and haveno glass.
Twoarcadescircle the building: one 1.8 m under the row of windows and one on the ground floor. The latter conceals themain entranceto the library, sinceKahndisliked the idea of a building that was dominated by its entrance.
The exterior of the library, where it’s possible to see the rows of windows and arcades.
Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/c58ea547-009e-44cf-916a-0d1361b25ce9
Interior
A circular double staircasebuilt fromconcreteand faced withtravertine greetsthe visitor upon entry into the library. At the top of the stairs the visitor enters a dramaticcentral hallwith enormous circular openings that reveal several floors of book stacks. At the top of the atrium, two massiveconcretecross beams diffuse the light entering from the clerestory windows.
Because the stacks are visible from the floor of the central hall, the layout of the library is clear to the visitor at a glance, which was one of the goals the academy’s building committee had set forKahn. Other specifications of the committee called for a large number of carrels (the library has 210) and for the carrels to be placed near windows so they couldreceive natural light.
A Clear Selection of Materials
为了确保新图书馆是一致的rest of the Academy campus, the design documents developed by the faculty committee specified the use of various materials. They include:
- Brickmade in Exeter, NH (420,000 exterior face bricks are used in the library, while 300,000 interior face bricks are used. In addition, approximately 41,000 common bricks were used, as well as small quantities that went into fireplaces, etc.);
- Slatefrom Pennsylvania;
- Granitefrom Vermont;
- TravertineMarblefrom Carrera, Italy;
- PouredConcrete;
- Reinforced Steel;
- Teak;
- White oak;
- Wall-to-wall carpeting.
接受该委员会的规范使用of traditional Exeter brick, stone, and slate,Kahnalso incorporated extensive use of naturalwood(primarily teak and white oak), travertine, andconcrete, producing a building that iswarm, impressiveandhighly functional.
Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/a8161aea-ccf1-445d-a945-dec2f43e5243
Awards
In1997the library received theTwenty-five Year Awardfrom the American Institute of Architects, an award that recognizes architecture of enduring significance that is given to no more than one building per year.
The citation of the award states:
“An outstanding collaboration of design and technology, this icon of cleanly articulated structure is a cultural center and modern architectural masterpiece for the original quadrangle of the renowned Academy. The massive block of dark-red brick reveals a surprising delicacy. It is artistically ahead of its time and will continue to enlighten as a spiritual touchstone of great design for generations of architects.”
Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/275c2bba-16f8-4049-a5f4-da002657a8e6
Data Sheet
- Architect: Louis I. Kahn;
- Location: Exeter, New Hampshire; United States;
- Year of commission: 1965;
- Years of construction: 1969-1971;
- Building type: school library, academic.
Info sources:
https://www.exeter.edu/academics/library/about
https://www.exeter.edu/academics/library/about/design-library
https://www.exeter.edu/academics/library/about/design-library/construction-and-materials
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_Exeter_Academy_Library
