Architect:SnhettaLocation: New York CityCompletion Date:2024Brought to you by:Snhetta has created a new home for the Far Rockaway branch of the Queens Public Library (QPL). Located at the point where the Rockaway barrier island meets the mainland of Queens, the new building is the latest in a string of recent renovations and replacements of public library branches across the five boroughs. To mimic the coastal neighborhoods dramatic sunsets, the librarys facade is draped in a reflective yellow-tinted glass that has been decorated with a digitally printed composition by artist Jos Parl. Artwork from Parl is visble on both the exterior and interior of the library. (Jeff Goldberg)Doubling the usable area of its predecessor, the new building will better support Far Rockaways large and diverse community. A press release from Snhetta notes that the library project coincides with additional city initiatives and investments designed to catalyze growth in this historically underserved part of New York City. The design of the library capitalizes on its corner lot at the intersection of Central and Mott Avenue, exaggerating this condition through a ubiquity of triangular forms. Visitors enter through a three-sided cut-out in the exterior mass and are immediately greeted by a triangle-shaped double-height atrium that connects the structures two floors.Another design motif is transparency and the use of colorful glazing. To that end, the upper level of the atrium is lined with a diachronic glass railing that creates complex, iridescent effects as it receives light from the semi-permeable facade and reflections from the interior. Light also cascades down from a skylight at the top of the atrium.The entrance opens to a double height atrium that connects both floors of the library. (Jeff Goldberg)In reference to the physicist Richard Feynman, a Far Rockaway native, Mexican artist Pablo Helguera has installed his work Feynman Code on the second floor. Based on the physicists famous Feynman diagrams, which use symbols to denote mathematic formulas and expressions, the artist has created an alphabet that spells out a line from an Emily Dickinson poem as well as a quotation from Feynman. This artwork, along with other features on the interior, interacts with the diachronic glass railing, casting Feynmans symbols across the floorplate.Snhetta selected Jos Parl, a Brooklyn-based artist, to create a mural for the facade of the library. The firm has collaborated with Parl previously, designing the artists studio from a converted warehouse in Gowanus and collaborating with him on a stool and table set. For Far Rockaway Library, the artist created a work titled Style Writinga sprawl of abstracted handwriting that cloaks the facade. Initially hand-drawn on a large canvas, the architects digitized the work and printed it by applying colored powder to the glass panels. The panels were then heated in a kiln, permanently joining the powder to the glass. The resulting frit works to reduce solar heat gain on the interior of the building while also acting as a dramatic decorative element.Since Snhetta was founded, collaborating with artists has been an important part of our work, Nathan McRae, director at Snhetta, told AN. We really wanted to create a vibrant, unique building for the community. Something that would stand out, but also welcome people inside.Color and the interplay of light were central to the new librarys design. (Jeff Goldberg)Working closely with the glazier, Snhetta specified exterior glass that precisely balances the presence of color, transparency, and Parls artwork while also achieving high energy performance. The yellow-orange tint of the glazing is meant to evoke the buildings locale along New York Citys Atlantic coastline, specifically referencing the remarkable sunsets that occur along Rockaway Beach. Far Rockaway Library has achieved LEED Gold certification through a combination of energy strategies, including the aforementioned high performance glazing as well as an automated system on the interior that optimizes HVAC usage. To contend with the coastal neighborhoods propensity for flooding, the library features a blue roof, which retains storm water, releasing it slowly through constricted drains and thereby relieving the streets flooding and drainage infrastructure.The architects specified a precise balance of reflectivity and transparency in the glass that keeps the space illuminated during daylight. (Jeff Goldberg)Alongside other upgrades to the citys public library branches, Snhettas Far Rockaway Library demonstrates a 21st-century approach to the improvement of public spaceappropriately balancing energy concerns and climate resiliency with formal considerations such as aesthetic beauty and spatial quality. Ultimately, it argues that New York Citys great public architecture should not just be reserved for Manhattan, but rather exist in equal proportion within the outer boroughs.Project SpecificationsArchitect: SnhettaStructural Engineer: SilmanElectrical Engineering: Altieri Sebor WeiberCivil Engineer: LanganLighting Design: Atelier TenAV/Acoustics: SH AcousticsSignage/Wayfinding: T-Squared DesignGeneral Contractor: E W HowellClient Representative: NYC Department of Design and ConstructionGlazing Contractor: AFI Glass and Architectural MetalsFacade Installation: AFI GlassMetal Panel Installation: EDA ContractorsFacade System: KawneerMetal Rainscreen: Alpolic Metal Composite PanelsGlass: CristacurvaWindows: Kawneer