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In the News
Accolades and Recognition for RISD Fleet Library
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Providence, RI and Boston, MA - July 20, 2007 – Shawmut Design and Construction (www.shawmut.com), a $700 million national construction management firm, along with the architecture firm of Office dA, both of Boston, MA, are announcing several recent award wins and feature articles on Fleet Library at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, RI. The Fleet Library, located in the main hall of the historic 1920 Hospital Trust Bank building in downtown Providence, is an example of the successful synergy of preservation, architecture, construction and programming. The project team was able to not only preserve this special space, but improve its functionality, and increase its lifespan within the context of Providence’s historical character. The project clearly has not only positively impacted the college community, but has significantly added to the character and charm of the Down City section of Providence. The main goal of this challenging project was to preserve and restore the unique character of the historic interior, while providing RISD with ample room to house their extensive collection and an inviting place to study and interact with fellow students. To solve this issue, two modular birch-plywood pavilions were placed within the open hall to provide study and service spaces for the new library – this innovative solution kept the majestic feeling of the original interior completely intact, while realizing all of RISD’s program areas. One pavilion, a “study island,” features a broad amphitheater-type stair, where students can sit and informally gather, with an open reading room at the top. The other pavilion serves as a circulation and reference desk, with a lounge area set between the two structures. The library now houses an extensive collection of art and design volumes, magazines and multimedia resources, as well as group study areas, classrooms, administrative offices, and an adjacent café. With a 300-bed dormitory on the top floors, the café and the library becomes an extension of the living space where students emerge from their rooms to interact with each other and move freely between the programmed spaces. The project has recently received several distinguished awards recognizing the library and design team’s dedication to its preservation. In the past few months, Fleet Library has won a 2006 Adaptive Reuse/Material Conservation/New Design/Institutional Award from The Providence Preservation Society, an AIA/ALA Library Building Award jointly awarded by the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association, and it was recognized as one of the 2007 Best Environments by I.D. Magazine. The Fleet Library has also been mentioned in several international, national and local publications. In June, the project was featured in Architectural Record, Proyecto (magazine of the Latin Builders Association), and Architect Magazine. Prior to these recent features, the project was also profiled in Frame (from The Netherlands) and The Boston Globe. About Shawmut |
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