Fulton County: Architecture Bad. Wasting Money Good.
Today the Fulton County Commission will vote on the recommendation from the Library Board of Trustees to vacate the Main Library (the one in Downtown Atlanta) and replace it with a huge building and a parking deck someplace else. Let’s set aside the fact that the library building they want to abandon is by a famous architect – Marcel Breuer.
Let’s also ignore that this building in particular is world-renowned, featured in magazines and design blogs, and visited by lovers of design. It needs a refurbishment, but what it doesn’t need is to be torn down and replaced by a building of the exact same size or smaller. That would deprive the County of its main library for years, involve many more millions of dollars for land acquisition and construction. And it’s completely unnecessary. If you are a Fulton County resident, consider finding your commissioner on this list and sending an email. Or you could just quietly lament the loss of an irreplaceable building and a waste of money.
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Stefan
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Email sent to Comm’r Garner.
You are now my favorite commenter.
Well, I meant to do it awhile back but never did so thanks for the reminder!
It’s a beautiful building and should stay.
The end.
The building is ugly but there are some pretty sweet rides sitting in front of it that deserved to be preserved.
It’s Breuer’s last work. Historically it is a classic example of Brutalism. If people can keep fight over it for another 4 years, it will meet the National Trust requirements for historical structures.
Not saying it isn’t ugly, but….
I have almost no appreciation for modern art and architecture. Does it function well as a library? Why is it needing renovation? It was previously renovated in 2002. Have the bums complained?
Pitts just wants a legacy piece.
So sad. This is dead on. A new one would absolutely have his name in it or on it.
haven’t been in that library for a while, but it seems like an odd pairing between a strong preference for light- in order to read- and not too many windows.
Direct sunlight is bad for books and paper, hence that near windowless block of marble that was once the Georgia Archive Building. Artificial lighting can also be better than sunlight for your eyes. That being said I’m unable to pinpoint when I last checked out a physical book from a library. I still utilize my library for online audiobooks and very occasionally ones on CD or a pdf depending upon availability. The web has greatly influenced the role of libraries much as it has any institutions related to print media.
Give it to the University system.
Not my favorite architectural style, and the interior is positively grim. Still, it should be saved, and reimagined for this century. The library at Georgia Tech is currently going through a massive “renewal” that includes removing all the books. The plan is to return to the original purpose of libraries as places of learning and sharing ideas, as opposed to book storage. http://librarynext.gatech.edu/
Moderated comments are so 2006.
So are @mac.com email addresses…
It’s saved for now.
“The future of Atlanta’s Central Library isn’t any more certain Wednesday, after Fulton County commissioners delayed making a decision about whether renovate the historic building. But commissioners expressed support for keeping the building, even if they’re still not quite sure what to do with it.”
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/fulton-commissioners-support-keeping-central-libra/nrPxR/
“The current Central Library has broken elevators and a leaky roof. It could cost $85 million to renovate it, while a new main branch could be built for $40 million, according to Al Collins, the head of the system’s Library Services Division.”
Yeah, COULD cost $85 million if the County decided to go bonkers.
I’ll do the renovation for $60 million!