During the biggest project of the semester, I was assigned the prompt of a regional history library for the city of Raleigh in downtown. This project was completed almost completely on the computer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using SketchUp, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. This special library was to house rare artifacts and texts about the history of Raleigh. I wanted these rare texts to be exhibited and stored as the most private area for research and reading. These areas comprise the top two floors, enclosed in a basalt skin with thick walls hovering above the public cafe, arrival, and garden. The building uses the books as an anchor to make an introverted gesture towards the lush garden. My interest in the public/private dynamic between the books and the visitors influenced design choices in the garden as well as throughout the building.
