Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Southern Connecticut State University: Hilton C. Buley Library

  • 06/01/15

The $31-million transformation of the Hilton C. Buley Library on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven included the complete renovation of the 98,000-square-foot existing building and the addition of a 12,000-square-foot area that serves as a glazed skywalk connecting the two sections of the building. When added to the 135,000-square-foot addition completed in 2008, the library encompasses 245,000 square feet. It is presently one of the largest library complexes in the state of Connecticut.

Southern Connecticut State University: Hilton C. Buley Library 

PHOTOS © PETER CHOW AND MARK WELCH

Buley’s entrance façade faces the main quad. The exterior is clad in brick, aluminum curtain wall, metal panels and precast concrete in a configuration to complement the existing addition. An entrance plaza stretching onto the quad was designed to be used for graduation ceremonies with the main entrance as a back drop.

The project — designed by OakPark Architects of Connecticut in association with HMBA of New York — included the creation of an art gallery, as well as space for media collections, special collections and a reading area on the ground floor. The first floor features a cyber café, as well as an information/learning commons; an area that includes a computer lab, lounge seating, technology stations, a reference desk and an IT help desk.

The connector/skywalk contains reading areas overlooking the campus as well as a dedicated Graduate Studies facility. This area also contains open circulation stairs connecting the various stack spaces with the main learning commons area.

One significant element designed into the main Learning Commons area is the Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows. These windows were donated to the university from local churches and illustrate some of Tiffany’s best work, especially the “Water Brooks” window. They were restored and are permanently mounted along the west façade behind a full-height glass curtain wall to allow for the best possible natural lighting.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.

  • UT System Board of Regents Approves $108M Housing Complex

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced the approval of a new, $108-million housing complex at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), according to a news release. The facility will stand four stories and have a total of 456 new beds for freshmen students.