The new Far Rockaway library will be twice the size of the existing one. This reflects the increased importance of the role: since Hurricane Sandy hit New York last October, the library has served not only as a reading room and internet club, but also as a disaster relief center.
As the main cladding material, the architects propose to use fritted glass in a rich golden hue - exactly the same, according to Snøhetta, in which the sky over the coast of Long Island is painted at sunset. And since the building stands at a crossroads, the entrance to it will be organized right from the corner: for this, the authors of the project are pushing the golden walls, implanting a pyramid of transparent glass between them. The interior is also organized around a pyramid, only inverted: its shape is an atrium that brings natural light and a view of the sky into the interior.
The project provides for the use of innovative engineering systems, which allows it to qualify for a LEED silver certificate. The authorities hope that the modern "green" library building will not only give the Rockaway area a new attraction, but will also become a catalyst for wider transformations of the environment.
