Refining the library’s design so art *can* meet architecture

The view from South Third Street

At the last workshop we discussed window and sill heights and the importance of carrying the tile roofing element  around the south addition from a design perspective.  The practical reality is that we can’t drop the windows low enough to see a top arch on the windows in that area.  So we pared down from three on each end to one arched window on each side of the bowed area. Because there will be fewer arched windows, we can afford to provide more architectural detail on the ones that remain.  During the workshop, Del Wilson (of Uihlein-Wilson Architects) described the importance of art meeting architecture…and we found a way to do that. 

If you’d like to see the updated interior plans you can do that at our library’s website here.  We also have them on display at the library.  The changes continue to evolve as a result of important input from many.  Thank you to all who have had a hand in recommending, revising, refining…helping us write our library’s story.

From “Unwritten” to “We’ve Only Just Begun”

The other night at the city council meeting, I used a few songs in my presentation about the library expansion project. First there was the song “Unwritten” (originally recorded by Natasha Bedingfield). I love that song. I’ve always loved that song. Probably because of its references to pages and books!  But equally important is the message of believing in tomorrow.  It is never too late to make changes in your life because every day is a new day…a blank page.  I think that allows a person to have hope, releasing him/her from focusing on the negative that might be today.

Here are a few of the words:

I am unwritten,

Can’t read my mind

I’m undefined

I’m just beginning

The pen’s in my hand

Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words

That you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions

Fell the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

No one else, no one else

Can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten…

Such a powerful song, I think. And it’s incredibly exciting to think of our library project in those terms. We are, in essence, writing the story of our community’s future as we plan and design the next version of our library. We are “Fostering Growth,” Fort Atkinson style.

For some reason the words to another song came to mind Tuesday evening causing me to remark that “We’ve only just begun.” It’s true. We’ve been working seven years planning the best possible solution to our space issues and now that we’ve received city council approval (thank you, most sincerely) to move forward, it feels like we have only just begun. Perhaps that’s because the work takes on a heightened focus and more concrete deadlines loom. But as I was reviewing the concept renderings, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of synchronization between the two songs.

Indeed. The rest is now being written. And we have a lot more writing to do…

So here is a rendering (this is not a design, just a first concept) of the outside of the library. Notice the front pillars are slated to be moved down Merchants Avenue to allow for a central building entrance at more grade level. We moved the pillars in 1983, so we know they are movable.

Taking a page from our own history book provides a great foundation as we begin writing our next chapters.