s content.
Fleet Library at RISD
Fleet Library at RISD
When FleetBoston Financial Corporation donated an Italian Renaissance-style
banking hall and the floor above it to
RISD
in 2002, the gift presented both a remark-
able opportunity and a true challenge. The college had been in search of a site to
expand its overcrowded library for over a decade, and faculty had repeatedly moved
the need to the top of the priority list. The proffered banking hall across the river
from the
RISD
Auditorium was breathtaking, designed in 1917 by the renowned archi-
tectural firm York & Sawyer and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
But clearly it was in need of a comprehensive design solution and substantial reno-
vations to transform it into a vibrant art and design library for the 21st century (see
pages 23).
Thanks to the dedication of the many people who collaborated to redesign the space
and raise funds for the renovation, the Fleet Library at
RISD
now offers students,
faculty, alumni and the public ready access to its specialized collections in a majes-
tic, yet warm and welcoming space. Through the use of innovative design,
RISD
has
created a stunning new home for its library equal to the caliber and scope of its
extraordinary collections.
contents
Rhode Island School of Design
2
design + renovation
4
main floor
8
balcony
10
second floor
14
context
15
access + membership
16
thank you
JOHN HORNER
highlights of new facility
55,000 square feet of usable space
(versus 14,000 sf in the old library)
90% of collection on open stacks
(versus 65% in the old library)
a versatile Circulation Center with
a distinctive, user-friendly design
a multifaceted Study Pavilion with
flexible workspaces
Graham Visual Resources Center
with 685,000 holdings and dedicated
viewing rooms
Archives and Special Collections
in climate-controlled storage, with
a large, inviting reading room
Dale Artists Books Reading Room, the
first space dedicated to the study and
storage of this exceptional collection
design + r
eno
v
ation
BEYOND THE BANK
To handle this sensitive assignment in adaptive reuse, President
Mandle appointed a Design Review Committee (see sidebar p.3)
to work with the Boston-based architecture studio Office dA
in transforming the grand banking hall into a highly accessible,
user-friendly library.
RISD
addressed the significant funding
required for the renovation
by making
the library a key compo-
nent of the Future by Design capital campaign, one of the largest
comprehensive fundraising efforts completed by a college of art
and design. Enthusiasm for the project quickly gained momen-
tum, especially after the decision was made to transform the
upper floors of the building into an appealing new residence
hall for 500 students. In the four years following the FleetBoston
gift, additional contributions from individuals, corporations and
foundations (see back page) helped meet the total project cost of
$11.2 million. Support from Rhode Island Congressman Patrick
J. Kennedy and the Small Business Administration also proved
pivotal in helping
RISD
to retrofit the space.
From the beginning, office dA principals Nader Tehrani
BARCH
86 and Mónica Ponce de León understood that creating a con-
temporary library within a classical building housing almost
a quarter of
RISD
s students would have a radical impact on
student life. To make sure that impact would be a positive one,
the project team at Office dA undertook a vast collaboration
with the design committee to address all aspects of the complex
program in a distinctly
RISD
manner.
We wanted to acknowledge the historic value of the space but
also the era were living in today, Tehrani says. From an archi-
tectural point of view, there were many issues, not least of which
was: How do you bring a space of this historic value up to code
in terms of accessibility, acoustics, lighting, seating and so forth,
but do it invisibly?
Office dA also sought to do this sensibly and sensitively, paying
close attention to
RISD
s fundamental values in upholding sus-
tainability, honest design, care with historic preservation, respect
for tradition and the innovative use of materials. Faced with the
need to maximize the space available for stacks, seating and study
carrels, the studio also wanted to create a sense of intimacy and
comfort within the cavernous hall.
At a certain point in the design process it became clear that we
could not fulfill the square footage requirements of the entire
program within this existing space unless some type of pavilion
or larger furnishings were placed in the banking hall, Tehrani
says. With that in mind, the studio conceived of an innovative
combination of structural solutions, custom-designed furnishings
and a clever floor plan all as a means of making 90,000 volumes
accessible in open stacks and providing comfortable seating for
more than 200 visitors in the main reading room alone.
The two primary structural solutions the Study Pavilion and
the Circulation Center (see page 4) also create intimate spaces
and add a contemporary edge to the interior, as does the selection
of materials and furnishings (see right). All in all, Tehrani notes,
a good project is the result of a good client, not necessarily a
good designer. If people appreciate the new library as much as
we hope they will, that will be the reason why.
GOING GREEN
In developing its materials palette, Office dA balanced issues of
sustainability with strict budget constraints and a desire to com-
plement and accentuate the halls ornate architectural details.
The studio chose durable cork flooring tiles, for instance, for
their acoustic properties along with their environmentally neutral
impact and aesthetic appeal; with a naturally occurring surface
design review committee
2003 2005
from Office dA:
Nader Tehrani
BARCH
86
principal
Mónica Ponce de León
principal
Daniel Gallagher
project architect
Arthur Chang
project manager
Sean Baccei
project team member
from RISD:
Dima Abulhusn 06
AR
student
Chris Bardt
BARCH
83
associate professor of Architecture
Deborah Bright
professor of Photography
Christina Hartley
director of Special Events +
Donor Relations
Nick Heywood 08
IA
student
Brian Janes
director of Residence Life
Fran Gast
associate vice president of
Facilities Planning
(through March 2006)
James Hall
MLA
94
director of Campus Design +
Exhibitions
Paul Mullen
construction project director
Maureen O'Brien
curator of Painting + Sculpture
The RISD Museum
Liz O'Neil
director of Design Marketing
Collaborative
Joan Ress Reeves
honorary trustee
Carol Terry
director of Library Services
John Terry
dean of Fine Arts
core materials used
in interior design
CNC-routed Medium-
Density Fiberboard
(MDF)
Expanko cork flooring
Russian birch plywood
brushed cold-rolled steel
Glass Fiber-Reinforced
Gypsum
(GFRG)
tempered glass with
3M translucent film
pattern akin to the swirls of the marble columns, the dark coffee-
colored cork and speckled lighter tiles complement the stately,
blush-colored columns and, at the same time, provide an effective
contrast of classical and contemporary materials. Cost, durability
and newly rigorous fire codes also played into the teams choice
of medium-density fiberboard as the material of choice to build
the two distinctive structural solutions or architectural interven-
tions. Office dA designed height-adjustable workstations for the
periphery of these structures to address ergonomic issues as well.
FURNISHINGS
As a leader in art and design education,
RISD
is committed to
showcasing examples of top-quality design throughout campus,
including in the new library. Among the new furnishings selected
for the Fleet Library at
RISD
are benches on the balcony and in
the Graham Visual Resources Center designed and built by
Tucker Houlihan
MFA
02
FD
, a
RISD
faculty member and tech-
nician. The Knoll chairs in the living room area of the main
reading room are upholstered with Graffito from Pallas Textiles
Jottings Collection, inspired by the designs of Graphic Design
Professor Jan Baker. And many interior details from the
Reference and Circulation desks to the exhibit cases and the
intricately milled panels on the sides of the pavilion were
designed by Office dA. Throughout the library visitors will also
appreciate chairs designed by Dakota Jackson and Mies van der
Rohe, tables and chairs by Knoll, workstations by Steelcase and
lamps by Tolomeo Mega.
3
RISD jumped at the opportunity to revitalize one of downtown Providences most
beautiful buildings as our new library. Our distinctive collections truly deserve the type
of preservation and presentation this new facility affords.
Roger Mandle, president,
RISD
Milled panels on the Study Pavilion subtly reveal
an eclectic list of artists, architects, art historians
and others representing the fields taught at
RISD
.
Office dA Principal Nader Tehrani
BARCH
86
helped create a palette of contemporary materi-
als that plays off the classical interior, including
bolted MDF planks referencing the coffering on
the vaulted ceiling and upholstery inspired by
the work of Graphic Design Professor Jan Baker.
main fl
oor
5
ESTHER CHESTER ENTRANCEWAY
Once a scholarship recipient herself,
Esther Chester 41
AE
has consistently
given back to
RISD
through the College
Annual Fund and several planned gifts.
Throughout her life she has pursued
dual passions for painting and piano
playing, and met her husband Sam
through a mutual love of music. To
honor Esthers creative spirit and the
role
RISD
has played in her life, the cou-
ple made a leadership gift in support
of the innovative