HAPTIC MATERIALS Upham’s Corner Library, 2022

Rebecca Cunningham

Upham’s Corner is a vibrant, culturally diverse community nestled within the larger neighborhood of Dorchester, MA. This project utilizes heavy timber construction to explore issues of material economies and community interaction. The playful roof form, clad in red-orange zinc panels designed to weather and change with the community over time, folds in the community and joins the housing and library so both have a seat at the table. The warm exposed wood and openness of the CLT interior creates a wide range of spaces which directly benefit the surrounding community.

All three floors of this intervention prioritize permeability to welcome community members into the library. A playful push and pull of the ground floor plate creates interstitial spaces and allows light to permeate the lower level, where programmatic elements such as a material-sharing space, a community room, and librarian’s offices reside. The second floor slightly overhangs the entrance to shade from snow and allow for comfortable seating.

Structurally, the library relies on a system of CLT planes supported by glue laminated columns on the first floor. Glazing floats slightly recessed from the column arcade, creating liminal space for gradual entry into the architecture. The roof system is stabilized through the use of 6’ composite beams, in which wiring, sprinkler systems, and lighting reside. Raised floor systems allow the HVAC and mechanical systems to be concealed within the floor plate. The openness achieved through this complex structural system is aimed at maintaining visual continuity throughout the project to build a sense of real community for Upham’s Corner on this site. Ultimately, the material selection of CLT is also an aesthetic one; the specific magical qualities of timber construction such as tactility and visual warmth create a unique haptic environment which involves all the senses.