Lone Star College - Tomball College and Community Library
This 68,000-square-foot joint-use library combines the resources of Harris County Public Library and the Lone Star College - Tomball Library. The two-story structure is surrounded by glass walls which provide exterior views and allow a vista throughout the “library mall.” The siting of the new building creates an exterior courtyard between it and the existing college buildings. The concave, glass exterior wall enclosing the courtyard serves as the college entrance to the library. On the opposite side of the building, a corresponding concave glass curve becomes a canopy welcoming the public.
Public and college functions were combined when feasible. The children’s area was designed as a learning environment, with stained glass geometric inserts in the wall and brightly colored numbers and letters in the carpet. The second, college-oriented floor is defined by a series of scoops that form clerestory windows, bring in north light, and provide dramatic height in the space.
Recognition: Houston ASID Honorable Mention