SEARCHing for a Detail

Today it was announced that the Glen Oaks Branch Library in Queens, New York, designed by Marble Fairbanks, is the American-Architects <a href="http://www.world-architects.com/en/pages/page_item/building-of-the-year-2013-found/">2013 Building of the Year</a>. The three-story building (two floors above grade, one floor below) is covered in glass, both clear panes and translucent channel glass. The elevation below faces Union Turnpike to the north, presenting a strong civic presence in the neighborhood.<br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjann_NIurtg4kuJ3B7T59o0l9k-fzdRuD-RC_BYR22jbFExs1aY-0Zr-31Ng7rGbPUcav4gnDru9d8lHB_RHCGpDfGyRNrIpJC6QnVcmHsjqZRsdhnCRbwsNuCxBXzFQ-GDn417syHo3bQ/s1600/glenoaksbranchlibrary2.jpg" /><br />[Photo: Eduard Hueber/Archphoto] <br /><br />At certain times of the day the top of the north facade reads "SEARCH" (photo below), an invitation to come inside. What at first glance looks like a digital readout is actually sunlight being projected through a film on the glass parapet facing south.<br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D1mlvKIMHTRVx7AxVDoraAaKF2Mp82xpsK90MTyDZjEIBsWRk0-XjRGgTit_ypZg0BjHdOAgxoyVusl69QuarA24xvMlofkKuS1Tcyh4BhLaGQ2t8AnjAOlQ41z-bbBZuVBwPM_3mIY1/s1600/glenoaksbranchlibrary5.jpg" /><br />[Photo: Eduard Hueber/Archphoto]<br /><br />Here is a detailed section of the roof, showing the south-facing glass parapet on the right and the north-facing glass wall on the left: <br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUK_YS5-TG2IKaCfWMUhYd3lal3yM6HkL8U60pHYa1430fkS3daMOX8k8QZk6lF4cEe-H-4KHo8sqmwq3W0evdxexXvycoQYEgkDzZ90y-5nh8Q-F1CWusLd6IfFalp5o5-3cC2sDYw3H/s1600/mfa_glen-oaks_18.jpg" /><br />[Drawing: <a href="http://marblefairbanks.com/journal/glen-oaks/">Marble Fairbanks</a>]<br /><br />What I really like about this detail is the way it:<br /><ul><li>Is created by daylight and is therefore variable, depending on the location of the sun in the sky and the weather (cloudy, clear, etc.);</li><li>Is entirely created by glass, keeping it within the vocabulary of the exterior;</li><li>Contributes to the overall design without overriding it; the building is good enough it does not depend entirely on this detail. </li></ul><b>Update 02.24:</b> Here is a time-lapse film of the north facade, showing the way the word SEARCH changes over the course of a day:<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/80929422?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>

SEARCHing for a Detail

Today it was announced that the Glen Oaks Branch Library in Queens, New York, designed by Marble Fairbanks, is the American-Architects 2013 ...

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