bws | Architects
Flowing Wells Library
Located near the new Flowing Wells Community Center, this new library completes the master plan for cultural and recreational facilities in this historically underserved neighborhood on the northwest side of Tucson. This small branch library is designed to triple in size as funds become available, so a major challenge on this project was to establish a functional facility, easily expanded, on a very limited budget. We explored numerous options for building systems and emerged with a simple and contemporary expression in metal panels, creating a strong architectural presence in a small package.
This initial phase of the building contains all the public functions in one large, versatile space – book stacks, reading area, children’s area, teen area and a computer-based information commons – creating an environment similar to commercial bookstores. In this new library model, the staff will provide assistance throughout the library, accessing information and lending records from a technology kiosk on the floor, rather than from a traditional circulation desk.
