Hillside Elementary School Library
Hillside Elementary School
San Lorenzo Unified School District, San Lorenzo, California
Library
A new 2,000 square foot round library is a welcoming nest in the middle of a large open plaza, sweetening a lonely space with new planting, benches and whimsical text stenciled on the site. The cedar wood wrapping shades the building and warms the large asphalt play area.
The interior of the library uses birch plywood wall panels, and exposed glulam beams to create a tempting haven. New study areas, benches tucked within book stacks and a storytelling corner complete the space. Computer stations are provided throughout along with a generous reception area.
Library Courtyard
Surrounding the new Library building is the new Library Courtyard, a hybrid play yard, library garden and public art project. Located within a large, existing asphalt play yard and operating with an extremely limited budget for landscape and paving, the project designer saw an opportunity to work with the existing asphalt by saw cutting out new planter beds for shade tree’s and using the remaining asphalt surface as a blackboard for a public art project. Collaborating with the students and faculty to create a series of words and phrases that were inspiring to the students, the selected text was then painted onto the existing asphalt with conventional playground striping paint and commercial stencils. The text can be read from both an existing second floor balcony overlooking the library courtyard or played on under the shade of new olive trees at ground level. New wood benches and platforms provide informal seating to read, lounge or play. The linear text and planting beds help set off the cedar clad, drum shape of the new library building and a new path of words playfully lead students from the play yard to the library entrance.
Pending completion, this new, 2,000 square foot construction will house a library in the middle of a large, open playground. New exterior planting, benches and a whimsical stretch of text across the landscape, intertwine the structure and program into a previously lonely and empty space. Cedar wood wraps the building, providing shade for the library while warming the adjacent asphalt play area.