Halifax Central Library | 27 m | 6 fl | Completed

[JET]

Interesting that there is a roof top patio. Alderney library has a lovely one but it can't be used by the public, something to do with fire code. Terrible shame, it's a nice space and a great view of the harbour

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by JET

Interesting that there is a roof top patio. Alderney library has a lovely one but it can't be used by the public, something to do with fire code. Terrible shame, it's a nice space and a great view of the harbour

I believe the fire code is the same on either side of the harbour. Perhaps it is Judith's private terrace, to let her oversee her empire and wave to the peons below...

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I believe the fire code is the same on either side of the harbour. Perhaps it is Judith's private terrace, to let her oversee her empire and wave to the peons below...

I wonder why the code wouldn't allow that to be used?
It's kinda the same experience here in Calgary with our municipal building. There are a number of terraces that were built but can't be used - mainly because they don't have railings so people could fall.

If memory serves, isn't the terrace at Alderney fenced or has a railing? Doesn't the terrace for the new library railed too?

I have to admit it would be a great place for a private function.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

I wonder why the code wouldn't allow that to be used?
It's kinda the same experience here in Calgary with our municipal building. There are a number of terraces that were built but can't be used - mainly because they don't have railings so people could fall.

If memory serves, isn't the terrace at Alderney fenced or has a railing? Doesn't the terrace for the new library railed too?

I have to admit it would be a great place for a private function.

If the terrace is large enough to hold a certain number of people, it gets treated like a room and it needs more than one means of egress (particularly where this is likely considered an assembly occupancy) - I don't know the story with Alderney, but it may be that there isn't enough exit capacity, or the exits aren't located far enough from each other.

[JET]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

If the terrace is large enough to hold a certain number of people, it gets treated like a room and it needs more than one means of egress (particularly where this is likely considered an assembly occupancy) - I don't know the story with Alderney, but it may be that there isn't enough exit capacity, or the exits aren't located far enough from each other.

With ALderney it is probably just one exit, into the building. I think that the terrace might onlt be used by staff. Wonder how many exits are from the new Halifax terrace, perhaps again just for staff.

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by JET

perhaps again just for staff.

Let's hope not. That would make a potentially really nice space. I am hoping that, given the focus on public accessibility by the architects, that they will have thought that out. I expect that they have given their comment at the last public meeting that they had moved the offices out of the top floor and made that public space, given that it was better to allow the public to have the nice view.

[Empire]

The OCAD design in Toronto was a bold cube design and has received rave reviews.

OCAD
http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/overview/sharp_centre.htm

[Keith P.]

That's just bizarre. "Striking" does not necessarily mean "good". It looks like it might start walking away like some kind of giant bug, or something from a star Wars movie.

[someone123]

I've never liked the OCAD building in Toronto. It is different but does not appear to be a subtle or intelligent design. It doesn't look very practical and there seems to be no benefit to the building's unusual shape.

The Halifax library design seems much better than this. It has some unusual features like a cantilevered upper floor. That and the glass cladding will provide good views and will be much more open looking than many other buildings in Halifax.

The egress explanation makes sense. I would guess that they will know to check the fire codes when designing a new building, but this could probably be confirmed from the latest PDF.

[halifaxboyns]

Found this on the Chronicle Herald site today:

I’ve fallen for new library’s bold new design

By ANGELA MOMBOURQUETTE Don't Get Me Started
Mon, Nov 22 - 4:54 AM

I’LL TELL YOU what gets me excited: Architecture, baby.

That’s right; I said it. Buildings turn me on. More specifically, the architecture of the proposed Halifax Central Library — now that is a building design I could really settle down with.

This peculiar love of mine may go back to the year I spent, way back in the ’80s, working at the school of architecture here in Halifax. My job was to hand-label hundreds of slides featuring photos of great buildings from all over the world and to create a database of those slides. My office was a tiny former bathroom with a computer, a light table, a teensy little window, and not much else.

Sounds tedious, doesn’t it? Perhaps for some folks it would have been, but for me it was a fantastic education. As I explored and researched slide after slide, I learned that every city holds the potential to embrace its culture, to showcase its strengths and to inspire its citizens through visionary architecture.

And as I watch the design process for the new library unfold, I get more and more excited about the impact that this building’s design could have on this city.

For one thing, the architects have been paying close attention to what the people of Halifax want. In a series of public meetings, the designers (Halifax’s Fowler Bauld & Mitchell with international partner schmidt hammer lassen) have asked questions, consulted, brainstormed and explored ideas with citizens who really care about this building and its role in the wider community.

That’s led to a design — not yet finalized — that’s both functional and beautiful. The exterior is bold and dramatic. Most striking is the top-floor "slab" that would feature a panoramic view of downtown and the harbour. The floor below is twisted slightly askew, jutting out at the corners with glass that appears orange from outside, but which provides a clear, non-coloured view from inside. The building "envelope" is largely transparent, with some patterned panels, allowing for plenty of natural light.

The interior will be simultaneously grand and intimate. There will be a floor-to-ceiling atrium with impressive staircases, yet the building will have plenty of study areas, quiet spaces, play spaces, and meeting spaces. The building will be fully wired for technology, fully accessible and will feature a ground-floor cafe, performance/public space, and an abundance of green, both inside and out.

Oh, and books. Lots of books. Project Director, George Cotaras of Fowler Bauld & Mitchell laughed as he confessed during the most recent public design consultation that people had expressed concern that early designs hadn’t shown many actual books in the library. He assured the group that the new collection will, in fact, feature a 50 per cent larger collection than the Spring Garden Road Memorial Library’s current holdings.

Most importantly, I think, the building will be a space in which every citizen of the municipality can feel a sense of ownership and pride of place. I don’t care if you live in Hacketts Cove, Harrietsfield or Hubley, this building will have something in it for you, even if that’s just a comfortable place to sit and relax while you wait for your spouse to see a doctor over at the QEII.

You’ll notice I haven’t once said, "Compared to the plan for the Halifax convention centre."

If all goes according to plan, Halifax’s new central library will open in 2014.

[fenwick16]

In my mind, the whole commentary was destroyed by the last comment "You’ll notice I haven’t once said, "Compared to the plan for the Halifax convention centre.""

It seems like another hack job against the convention centre design. I can paraphrase it as "Much better than the convention centre" How long will these groups keep trying to manipulate the general public? I guess it will continue until the convention centre is well under construction and then these groups will pick some other project to oppose (maybe a stadium?). Luckily for these groups, most people in favour of the convention centre are also in favour of the new Central Library. Otherwise, it would be easy to condemn the Central Library in a similar manner.

[Keith P.]

The only thing this palace will have for every citizen is a bill to be paid to cover the excessive cost of Judith Hare's self-indulgent hijacking of the public purse.

[FuzzyWuz]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The only thing this palace will have for every citizen is a bill to be paid to cover the excessive cost of Judith Hare's self-indulgent hijacking of the public purse.

As the CEO, her job is to ask for the world. If you want to get mad at someone, get mad at whoever agreed to give it to her.

[someone123]

You’ll notice I haven’t once said, "Compared to the plan for the Halifax convention centre."

Yeah, I wish this could have just been a positive article about the library.

[halifaxboyns]

I agree; the comment about the NOva Centre wasn't needed.
I submitted a letter to the CH herald about the article; we'll see if they publish it (I made the same comment).

[worldlyhaligonian]

Nova Centre Redesign > Library Final Design

[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Nova Centre Redesign > Library Final Design

I agree with the spirit of this. The thing is that all the design elements required in the HRMbD downtown secondary plan will have to be in the final Nova design, so I am pretty confident that all the stuff most of us are concerned about will happen.

They have the height exemption, which I just don't care about for that site, but then they have to have the quality of design, street level integration, setbacks, etc that every other building needs to have.

I suspect the final design will be as big an improvement over the current artist renderings and the current drawings were over the original awful drawings. And the current drawings are pretty good.

[JustinMacD]

So when is construction actually going to start for this project...?

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by someone123

Yeah, I wish this could have just been a positive article about the library.

Completely agree.

It pisses me off any time it is snooty pro-library people who sneer at other projects like NC and stadiums, as much as it pisses me off when people who are single-mindedly pro other priorities look down on the library.

I would rather just have a positive focus on having the best developments that we can across the spectrum, rather than the negative of pitting one against the other.

It is one thing to write a separate article about the public input into the NC project. It is quite another to add at the end of an article a snotty throwaway comment aimed at something else.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by JustinMacD

So when is construction actually going to start for this project...?

"Late spring", i.e. sometime between 2011 and 2017.

Actually I'm guessing they will be relatively on-time with this one given how they have stuck to a publicly-announced schedule.