Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Carnegie Mellon University: Sorrell's Engineering & Science Library Renovation

  • 07/01/19
Carnegie Mellon University 

PHOTOS © ED MASSERY

A minimally disruptive renovation has transformed the Sorrell’s Engineering & Science Library at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh into a learning hub for 21stcentury students.

Three prefabricated bamboo elements are at the heart of this renovation. Designed by GBBN and fabricated locally by two Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture alums, these striking millwork pieces bring warmth to a concrete Brutalist building and help turn it into a place for active learning. Because the space now offers students a wide variety of ways to study and learn, they’re empowered to choose the zone that best suits their project needs and study style.

Near the entrance of the 16,000-square-foot space, “arbors” bring down the scale and provide collaborative zones that feel sheltered within an active, social area. A “portal” in the middle separates the active space near the entry and circulation desk from quiet and focused work zones toward the back. The portal also offers students a range of alternative seating on and around its platform. A multimedia collaborative “den” at the back of the library lets larger groups work without disrupting others.

Additionally, prefabricated glass and metal modular work rooms were added to the space. They keep students visually connected to the rest of the library but provide acoustic privacy for group projects.

All four elements were fabricated offsite and installed in just two weeks during a campus break. To accommodate these changes, a large number of little-used books were moved off-site while 12,000 of the most frequently requested titles remain.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management July/August 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.