Charleston County
Wando Mount Pleasant Library
Mount Pleasant’s original branch library was built in the 1970s, when a library was primarily dedicated to books: storing, organizing and sharing them. Card catalogues and date stamps may loom large in our memories; however, evolving technologies have brought new opportunities and a new paradigm for the library experience. The new 40,000-square-foot facility brings the library into the modern era with connectivity driving the design. The design aligns active spaces with the roadways to activate the facades, showcasing the library’s lively programming to the community.
LOCATION: Mount Pleasant, SC
SIZE: 40,000 SF
COMPLETED: 2019
Drawing Inspiration
The form is a direct response to the site’s linear shape and the adjacent wetland to the northeast. Exterior materials include indigenous brick of Savannah moss color, low-maintenance wood-like elements for warmth and texture, and generous glazing to maximize transparency. The entry wall is bound together by white and black elements nodding to the printed word, and the stone is pushed and pulled like books on a shelf.
The interiors are inspired by the nature of the site, with the gentle effects of filtered sunlight knit throughout the building. The materials palette tells the “story” of nature. A textural wood plank wall mimics tree bark, while the adult area’s floor integrates the color gradations of a sweetgrass basket.
Design Details
Based on input from multiple community meetings, the adult areas and stacks feature small breakout spaces for contemplation and reading. Young adults have an age-appropriate enclave rather than a meld of kid/adult space. The children’s area features playful alcoves pushing beyond the boundaries of the wall, round skylights creating pools of light on the grass-colored carpet, and a titanium fish-scale oculus forming an inviting space to curl up with a book.
Awards
2021 AIA SC Interior Architecture Citation Award | 2020 Vision Design Awards Floor Focus Honorable Mention, Education Category | 2020 AIA SC New Construction Merit Award
Tailoring the Footprint
Other amenities include group study rooms, a multipurpose auditorium, mothers’ lounges, and conference rooms tailored to the needs of people who work from home and may enjoy readily-available spaces for client meetings and other entrepreneurial support options. Outside, an expansive patio and bermed seating around a favorite live oak tree create storytelling spaces. A bioswale at the window blurs the lines between inside and out.
