Add as a preferred source on Google

North Carolina State University: James B. Hunt Jr. Library

  • 06/01/14
North Carolina State University Library 

PHOTOS © JEFF GOLDBERG/ESTO

The James B. Hunt Jr. Library at North Carolina State University opened in January 2013 on the rapidly growing Centennial Campus in Raleigh. With an iconic modern exterior and an interior filled with cutting-edge technological integration, the facility has been touted as “the library of the future.”

The design shifts the concept of a library beyond stacks and catalogs to a dynamic place for collaboration, research and experimentation with technology. A bookBot automated book delivery system reduces the space needed for stacks and accommodates a 2,000,000-volume collection. A virtual browse system allows users to see a virtual bookshelf with items related in subject, and books can be checked out and retrieved by the bookBot and are available for pickup within minutes.

Generous open spaces and monumental stairs connect all floors of the library, while the learning commons contain both open spaces with colorful furniture and more traditional, quiet study areas. Hunt Library provides 100 group study rooms, including technology labs, gaming labs, media production rooms and creativity studios. A glass-walled technology showcase on the entry level offers the latest devices and technologies available for loan to students. The library also houses a political think tank led by former North Carolina Governor James Hunt, academic offices and an auditorium.

The 230,000-square-foot facility is certified LEED Silver, with an abundance of natural lighting, solar fins, rooftop solar panels, innovative chilled beam and radiant panel systems, green roofs and a rainwater collection system.

Clark Nexsen served as executive architect, collaborating fully on the project design and construction with the New York office of Snøhetta serving as lead designer. Hunt Library has been honored with more than 20 awards, including the international Stanford Prize for Innovation in Research Libraries (SPIRL) and three national awards for library architectural design and planning, library interiors and education facility design.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Embry-Riddle Breaks Ground on New Office Building

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced that construction has begun on a new office building for its campus Research Park, according to a news release. The university partnered with Hoar Construction on the 34,740-square-foot Center for Aerospace Technology II (CAT II), which will be used for research and lab purposes.

  • University of Utah Launches Utah 360 App

    The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, recently announced that it has partnered with digital engagement hub Pathify to launch a new app for the university community, according to a news release.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

Digital Edition