NORMAN EAST LIBRARY
The Norman East Branch Library is part of the Pioneer Library System in Norman, Oklahoma. The new 25,000 SF library, which opened in summer of 2018, will provide the community with 21st century library services. The facility is planned to reflect state-of-the-art library design; celebrating changes in the way information is stored, conveyed and used by the communities they serve. The library stands out on the rolling hills on the east side of the city, embracing its location between prairie and city.
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Client: City of Norman
Status: Completed in 2018
Area: 2 acres
Team: TEN x TEN, MSR Design, The McKinney Partnership, Cedar Creek Engineering, 360 Engineering Group, Modus, David Nelson & Associates
The concept for site and building design provide for environmental responsiveness, environmental familiarity, and variety in use to support comfort and access. The East Branch Library is designed to create a seamless relationship between inside and outside. The site is situated on a high point topographically, offering spectacular views to the north and east over the forested cross-timbers region of Oklahoma.
The building’s orientation and exterior public plaza and reading porch, with intimate outdoor seating areas and native garden plantings, take advantage of this viewshed. The building sits on a level plinth, with a series of sloped faceted planes folding down and away from the building to a bioswale running through the site below. The bioswale is structured to manage and temporarily store storm water run-off and showcase Oklahoma’s beautiful and resilient native prairie landscape.
