A Sense of Welcome: Design Institute Hayward 2023
/Design Institute Hayward looked at ways to design for inclusion, safety, sustainability, and extending a warm invitation to all.
by Lisa Peet
On September 28, 2023, library planners and leaders joined architects, designers, and vendors at the Hayward Public Library (HPL) Downtown Library, CA, for Library Journal’s Design Institute Hayward. Director Jayanti Addleman and HPL staff offered a warm welcome, as did the library itself, an airy, bright space with wraparound windows that, as the light changed, displayed the beloved first lines of books. That alchemy—the expression of a mood by way of structure—was the result of a deeply intentional design process, making HPL an ideal setting for a daylong discussion of thoughtful, inclusive planning.
Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas set the tone for the day’s proceedings by pointing out the care involved in designing and building the new HPL. “Literally every inch of this building has been thought about,” he said, and that intentionality was evident inside and out. The library, designed by Noll & Tam Architects—formally the 21st Century Library and Community Learning Center—opened in January 2020, only months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut its doors for more than a year. But, noted Addleman, having to pivot in multiple, unexpected ways has made the library’s mission—and its commitment to welcome—stronger.
SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE
ray johnston with WRNS studio’s john schlueter and moderator emily petty puckett / photo by kevin henegan
As the center of their communities, libraries not only serve as inclusive and safe spaces but lead by example, and sustainable practices feed into all these roles. Moderator Emily Petty Puckett, capital project manager at the University of Michigan Library, in conversation with Johnston Architects founding partner Ray Johnston and John Schlueter, WRNS Studio senior associate, discussed ways in which projects can integrate functional safety features with aesthetic and programmatic designs that center the whole community.
While safety and sustainability can feel like separate concerns, there are many overlaps. Designing for safer and more comfortable libraries is also a first step toward being easier on the environment, noted Johnston. For example, he pointed to a library on a mountain slope of the Cascade Range that his firm designed, with an integrated HEPA filter so that it can serve as a community refuge in fire or smoke events, and that is generator-ready so services can continue in an emergency. Many older Carnegie libraries were built on the “fortress” model, he added, with windows above users’ sight lines. A clear view out is beneficial to all, particularly neurodivergent patrons, and current window technology—automatic shades, glass tinting—can mitigate many environmental and climate concerns, so that “you’re in a space that can be expansive,” he said.
“Designing for safer and more comfortable libraries is also a first step toward being easier on the environment.”
Ray johnston speaks about safe & sustainable libraries / photo by kevin henegan
WRNS built the Atherton Library and Town Center, CA, with recirculating heat pump technology that reduced the operational energy impact on the system’s entire campus to 25 percent of what it had been—“another way of being neighborly,” noted Schlueter. Located adjacent to a train route, the building is sheltered from the noise and reverberation by rammed earth banks that also provide climate control; one solution addresses several issues.
Be aware of the site’s physical health as well, added Schlueter. Materials from older structures slated for replacement can find a second life through conscientious repurposing; it’s a critical part of the design phase problem-solving. At Atherton, WRNS used wood from trees on the site that needed to be removed, and an old town hall became a heritage space. Cross-laminated timber—wood engineered from perpendicular layers of lumber glued together—helpfully sequesters carbon and can be treated to have acoustic control qualities.
Patrons’ perception of safety is important too, and one aspect of that is seeing their culture reflected. Art is a way to take a stance as a commitment to welcoming guests, and can even help to de-escalate tensions among different parts of the community by allowing them to see each other in more detail. Keep in mind, noted Johnston, that some groups for whom inclusion is most important may not take part in early vision-setting options. Targeted focus groups can ensure that their input is part of the planning process. “The community aspect is most fun part of it,” said Schlueter. “You have no idea what insight will be brought forward.”
EVOLVING LITERACIES
mona johnston zellers speaks on trauma informed design / photo by kevin henegan
For the day’s final panel, moderator Lindsey Vien, City of Hayward acting deputy director of library services, spoke with Noll & Tam Architects Principal Chris Noll and Johnston Architects Partner Mona Johnston Zellers about designing for the components that drive literacy: creation, engagement, and inclusion.
At the forefront of any conversation about library planning, Vien proposed, should be the question of what literacies need to be centered for the community. “Literacy” can become a buzzword, said Zellers, so what it means for each library should be considered thoughtfully. “To me, it’s about competency, and how we create safe environments for learning in all age groups,” she said. She pointed to the “Every Child Ready to Read” campaign developed by the Public Library Association (PLA), which breaks down early literacy practices and the components that support them, noting that these are useful tools for planning adaptable children’s spaces.
“To me, it’s about competency, and how we create safe environments for learning in all age groups.”
Building with flexibility in mind for growth, scope, and scale is key, so that the library can move on from materials and technology as they become outdated. Noll suggested starting with an open structural plan that can be reconfigured down the line—perhaps sooner than you might think, he added, noting how quickly user needs shifted after pandemic shutdowns.
Trauma-informed design helps give people a sense of control by offering a range of environmental conditions. Choose furniture that makes users of all sizes feel comfortable and eliminates barriers, said Zellers, such as providing computer chairs with and without wheels or arms. “Having that variety, even though it seems like a simple thing, can help people settle and focus,” she added. “If you can make it respectful of their experience, people will be in a mindset for learning.” Acoustics and lighting are also major components; large, open spaces run the risk of being noisy, and harsh lights can be triggering.
Noll suggested using a multi-tiered approach to ensure that the library is hearing what its users want, such as individual interviews with community leaders, focus groups, and large community meetings. Each offers a different type of feedback—all of which needs to be on the record—and there will be a lot of it. When the planning process begins, he said, pre-sent the proposals to the community and say, “This is what we heard, this is what we want to offer, did we get it right?” Zellers and her team distill the input down to 10 things they feel are most important to stakeholders, and refer to the list regularly during the design phase to check how various components meet those goals.
“If you can make it respectful of their experience, people will be in a mindset for learning.”
mona johnston zellers speaking on a panel with chris noll of noll & tam architects and moderator lindsey vien, from the city of hayward / photo by kevin henegan
REMEMBER THE REWARDS
The role of architects has changed, noted Johnston. Managing how the design of libraries comes together, and considering every piece of the puzzle—from programmatic needs to staff and community input to future-readiness—has become part of job that goes beyond simply translating planners’ ideas. “The building teaches,” he said—as do its future users, if everyone involved takes full advantage of opportunities to listen.
“The building teaches.”
“We have to be good stewards of dollars, and we have to fit in huge amounts of community aspiration,” Noll said. Moving from concept to development is an intensely collaborative effort, but the end result—a space that welcomes users—rewards the efforts. Renovating or building is a long journey, all agreed, yet there’s joy in the process. “It’s hard work, but in the end you come to opening day,” said Goodwin. “We’re devoted to this business to make beautiful spaces.”
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