Dynamically Unifying a Joint-Use Library
/ / San Francisco State University J Paul Leonard Library > San Francisco, CA

The design for the library envisions an ambitious new facility: a joint-use building with the California State Library via the incorporation of the existing Sutro Library.

Rather than a simple addition to the current amalgamation of spaces built over 20 years, the new structure will be a unified edifice that interweaves new life into the complex.

The existing library is wrapped on the north and west sides with a new four-level addition that includes public and circulation space. This dynamic glass-enclosed wrapper acts as the main public interface for the library, while the concrete frame structure fuses the existing with the new. Stairways and shafts move to the outside of the building, creating interior spaces that are open and comfortable for contemplation. A high-density automated book storage system will free up valuable floor space for new technological areas.

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