FACADES 26 For the winning proposal of a public library in Washington, D.C., Adjaye Associates designed a building that is equal parts transparent and reflective. The strategy draws a connection between the interior and the surrounding woods of Fort Davis Park. A low-E, double insulated, two-story curtain wall combines
clear, uncoated glass panels and panels with an 80 percent mirrored finish on the number two surface. The angle of a large, canopied roof that cantilevers over the south side of the building was refined to harvest solar heat gain in winter, while shading the south facing-facade in summer. The diaphragm of the roof is also
tied into the glass box to absorb torsion and reduce the need for additional structural steel. The geometric diamond pattern of the exterior translates to the interior with deep-set wooden window niches that directly correspond to the facade apertures. “The whole approach to the building was to feel like one was
PROFILE
FRANCIS GREGORY NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY, WASHINGTON, D.C.
still sitting in the park,” said Russell Crader, a project director with Adjaye Associates. “Because the apertures capture the park like settings around the building, seeing people reading in those niches is really quite beautiful.” A combination of solar management strategies facilitated by the facade, energy efficient
heating and cooling systems, and the use of regional materials won the project LEED Silver certification. Architect: Adjaye Associates Engineers: ReStl Designers, Inc. (structural); Setty & Associates (mechanical) Facade supplier: Guardian Industries