Cal State University Fresno, Henry Madden Library

PROJECT Henr y Madden Librar y A ddition & Renovation L O C AT I O N Calif or nia S t at e U niversity, Fresno Fresno, C A

AC Martin, in association with Hillier Architecture, designed the new library at Fresno State University, home to the largest collection of volumes in California’s Central Valley.

The new design provided innovative solutions to the existing library’s limited capacity for its rapidly expanding collections.

This project, which included a 283,000 gsf addition and 80,000 gsf renovation of the Madden Library, was a collaborative effort between AC Martin, Hillier Architecture, and CSU Fresno Librarian and President of the American Library Association, Michael Gorman. The team fused their collective expertise to create the ‘library of the future’, a building that will bring together students and residents from the surrounding community.

The new Madden Library provides more than just a learning experience for students, faculty and the Fresno community; it is a destination containing a variety of special spaces. One such space is the large translucent sculpture at the entrance which creates a strong exterior image and defines the library’s source of organization. Other features include a café on the second level and a rooftop terrace adjacent to University administrative offices.

The library has primarily open floor plans, but incorporates a variety of seating areas, including comfortable places tucked away where patrons can retreat for quiet reading and studying and built-in seating on the grand staircase.

Situated on the central campus adjacent to the Peace Garden, a unique feature of the library is its entirely transparent façade on the north elevation, which allows abundant light into the building while providing a beautiful view of the garden. Extensive use of natural daylight, natural ventilation and the use of recycled products during construction have resulted in a highly sustainable building.

Library experts at AC Martin and Hillier Architecture understood that the ‘library of the future’ must use technology to enhance rather than replace traditional library functions.

The technological innovation employed in the new library aids librarians in creating a more efficient system and helps patrons utilize resources more effectively.

Technological innovations include embedded microchips for book tracking, advanced cataloguing databases to simplify the research process, and compact moveable stacks that create more space for the library’s ever-expanding collection of volumes.

The new library is a powerful resource for the University and the surrounding Fresno community. It is a significant landmark that informs the campus plan and shapes the future of the California Sate University, Fresno. The fusion of cutting-edge technology and traditional library values have resulted in a facility with the potential to re-define library design in the next century.

Main Entrance Rendering

Main Entrance

PUBLIC ART LED technology brings to life an ancient Native American art form at the new library. Architect David Martin met with local tribal elders and commissioned artist Susan Narduli to interpret their complex basket-making tradition as public art. Narduli’s studio filmed a woman from the Table Mountain Rancheria tribe as she wove a traditional basket to completion—capturing every moment of a process that took 11 months. The film is playing at one-half speed on a translucent 18x34-foot LED screen installed just inside a glass curtainwall.

Public Art Installation

Site Plan

Design Process

North Elevation

Elevations + Design Inspiration: Agrarian Landscape

South Elevation

Three of the building’s façades are composed of pre-cast concrete panels that are minimally dotted with fenestration in response to Fresno’s harsh desert climate. The geometric patterns, grids, and rows reflected in the valley’s agricultural landscape inspired the design of the panels. Use of subtle textures and colors differentiate the patterns.

On the northeast corner of the site, a 70-foot translucent tower structure marks the library’s entry. The design of this element utilizes tying and weaving techniques interpreted from local vineyard structures and basketry of the Native Americans of the Central Valley. The tower’s materials are woven together echoing the basketry of the Table Mountain Rancheria who consider baskets to be ‘containers of knowledge’. Historic Native American patterns inspired by intricate textile designs are also be echoed in the interior decor of the library.

Design Inspiration: Basket Weaving of the Table Mountain Rancheria

Design Inspiration: Native Textile Patterns

Garden Design by Artist Susan Narduli

Reading Room and Elevator Art Installation by Artist Susan Narduli

Axonometric Plans

Basement

First

Second

Third

Interior Views

Book Stacks

Detail of Entrance Basket Sculpture

Glass Curtainwall Overlooking Peace Garden

Honeycomb Glass Detail

Reading Room

Main Entrance Interior

Grand Staircase

c a l i f o r n i a s t a t e u n i ve r s i t y, f re s n o

henry madden library Client Size Completion Location Key Points

California State University, Fresno 283,000 GSF addition / 80,000 GSF renovation 2008 Fresno, CA • Prominent sculptural space at the library’s entrance creates a strong exterior image and defines spatial organization • Provides a variety of seating spaces both formal and informal • Utilizes a transparent north façade to let in natural light and allow for views to the campus and the adjacent garden • Features an extensive public artwork program • Technologically innovative solutions make the library more efficient and user-friendly • Acts as a landmark building for the campus

Awards

AIA/Long Beach/South Bay Chapter Citation Award, Institutional/Educational Category, 2009 Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute Design Awards, Honorable Mention, School, 2009 AIA/Long Beach/South Bay Chapter Design Excellence Jury Award, 2007

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